"Creators of TikTok contentexpress remorse over the focus on disputed influencers in the investigative committee hearings"
Listening to the Right Voices: Ethical Content Creators and the Mental Health Impact on Minors
Anna Baldy, otherwise known as @grandebavardeuse on TikTok, is raising concerns about the lack of attention given to creators promoting a more ethical approach to social networks. Baldy shared her insights with the commission on the psychological effects of TikTok on minors, but felt overlooked compared to controversal influencers like AD Laurent, Julien and Manon Tanti, and others.
In separate hearings on June 10, these influencers were questioned by a dozen parliamentarians following an online survey. The survey asked questions like, "What influencers shock you?" The hearings became fodder for social media, with AD Laurent making a questionable joke, Nasdas lashing out about deputies' salaries, and Alex Hitchens, a masculinist influencer, hanging up on deputies during a video conference.
Baldy felt that these events were more about the influencers trying to clear their names of accusations rather than a genuine reflection on TikTok. Delaporte, president of the commission, however, suggested these hearings helped us understand the economic model of these platforms that thrive on constant conflict.
These heated exchanges, though, often overshadowed other experts heard by the commission since March, like Morgan Lechat, a physics and chemistry teacher with over 425,000 subscribers on TikTok. Lechat observed that while controversial figures' testimonies gained wide media coverage, his own and other experts' messages struggled to resonate. He argued that TikTok isn't all about shallow content, but also offers valuable educational material for students.
After months of hearings, the parliamentary report concludes that problematic influencers represent only 3% of the report. The report, written by Macronist rapporteur Laure Miller, will provide recommendations on regulating TikTok to ensure children's safety.
It's crucial to recognize that social media platforms like TikTok are more complex than they appear. While some users may enjoy the entertainment aspects, it's evident that they can also pose significant threats to young people's mental health, intesifying anxiety, body dysmorphia, and self-harm[2][3]. Ethical creators acknowledge these issues, while problematic influencers' testimonies often exacerbate these problems[1][4].
Experts' testimonies, on the other hand, emphasize the addictive design features that exploit users' vulnerabilities, such as infinite scroll, autoplay, and personalized feeds[1][4]. Lawmakers expressed concern over TikTok executives' lack of concern for the negative impact on minors' mental health, describing their responses as insufficient. Therefore, urgent action is needed to protect young users from the potentially damaging effects of TikTok[2][4][1].
- Anna Baldy, an ethical content creator on TikTok, feels that those promoting questionable content receive more attention than those advocating for better social media practices, as demonstrated by the controversy surrounding influencers like AD Laurent, Julien and Manon Tanti, and others.
- Policy-and-legislation measures are necessary to address the growing concern over the mental health impact of social media platforms like TikTok on minors, with general-news outlets highlighting the potentially damaging effects, including anxiety, body dysmorphia, and self-harm.
- The parliamentary report on TikTok emphasizes the importance of policy-and-legislation to regulate social media, as ethical creators like Morgan Lechat, a physics and chemistry teacher with a large TikTok following, argue that while TikTok offers entertainment, it also provides valuable educational content that shouldn't be overshadowed by controversial figures.
