The Role of Media Literacy in Addressing the Challenges of the Social Network TikTok

Sonja Trifunovska, Zorica Adamchevska

Abstract

In the era of the digital revolution, the use of social networks has become an integral part of the daily lives of billions of people. TikTok is one of the most popular and fastest-growing social platforms in the world, whose appeal lies in digital entertainment through creating, sharing, or following short videos. The platform features a powerful algorithm that personalizes content for users, creating an engaging and compelling experience. As a result, TikTok has become a central space for young people, serving both educational and entertainment purposes, but also as a source of viral challenges — a powerful way to engage users. These challenges can be fun, educational, and creative, but they can also pose risks to safety and health, and can negatively impact participants’ emotional and psychological well-being. These trends spread quickly due to the platform’s algorithms and active promotion via the “For You Page,” making them difficult for users to avoid. Young people’s participation in such challenges has become a societal concern requiring a multidimensional approach to address it. The most important tool in combating TikTok’s challenges is media education — equipping young people with the skills to understand the digital space, detect risks from dangerous trends, strengthen digital ethics, and increase awareness of safe platform use. This study offers approaches and solutions for helping young people address the challenges of TikTok, based on survey questionnaires and interviews with students aged 10 to 15. The findings reveal a clear need for increased integration of media education in schools, with a focus on teaching safe social media use.

Keywords: social network, TikTok, media literacy