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Over the past few years, TikTok has skyrocketed

to international renown, becoming a cultural

sensation$.$ Chances are you$$ve heard about it

from students, if you aren$$t already using it yourself.

The app, which was launched in China in $2016$ and

globally in $2018,$ allows users to create short$-$form

videos and share them with people across the globe.

In fact, TikTok has been downloaded more than three

billion times, making it one of the most popular

social media apps in the world.

As it has increased in popularity, the uses for

the app have grown exponentially as well. As with

other social media platforms, it has become a

marketing tool. But it is also a way for its users to

connect with each other, share stories, and learn

new skills$$and it$$s these qualities, along with

its unlimited creative potential, that have made

TikTok a useful resource in the classroom.

TikTok has quickly proven to be an invaluable

educational tool, one that easily resonates with

digital natives. Along with any new technology,

however, there are both benefits and drawbacks

that come with using the platform.

PROS AND CONS

One of the biggest issues swirling around TikTok is privacy.

The app collects a significant amount of data from its users,

including their location, device, and browsing history.

In turn, these details are utilized to serve targeted ads to

users. There have been a number of concerns about how

TikTok handles this data, with allegations that the app shares

the information it collects with the Chinese government.

These hesitations have led some school districts, such as

Hamilton$-$Wentworth in Ontario, to consider banning it

altogether.

While there have been several issues regarding the

app, TikTok does present numerous benefits. Since

many students are already using it in their free time,

incorporating TikTok into the classroom can be a way to

meaningfully engage with them on a platform to which

they relate. It can function as a jumping$-$off point to

introduce a concept or idea, the same way YouTube videos

can be incorporated into pedagogy to capture student

interest.

TikTok is also a space for creative expression, and offers

unlimited applications in a classroom context$$whetherbeing used by teachers to make condensed versions of

lessons, or by students to complete an assignment.

Another unique aspect of TikTok is its discoverability. In

fact, Gen Z uses the app as a search engine to find authentic

content for everything, ranging from beauty trends to

restaurant reviews. Many kids are also using it to help with

homework.

With all this in mind, what is the verdict on TikTok?

And is it worth using despite the privacy concerns? The

answer depends on a few factors, each of which deserves

careful consideration.