Alex's Answer

Hello, welcome to Ask Alex 

You are asking what you should do because you’ve seen a TikTok user post videos of their adult autistic son having a meltdown, and it made you feel uncomfortable. 

We are sorry to hear that what you saw on TikTok made you feel uncomfortable, everyone has a right to be safe and to be in a safe environment, this applies to online spaces too. You do not have to watch anything online that upsets you. It sounds that what you saw could be a welfare concern. You have been super brave sharing your concerns as it’s not always an easy thing to do. It also sounds like you would like to prevent others from getting upset from the video as well and this is very considerate of you.  

There are a few things you can do if you find uncomfortable or upsetting information online. Firstly, it would be important that you have a chat with your parent or guardian about how this is making you feel. Secondly, you also have the right to understand the rules and regulations around appropriate and inappropriate content and how to protect yourself online.  Thirdly, you have a right to report your concerns for further investigation; you can do so via the TikTok help centre. The TikTok platform would have rules and regulations to protect users and to prevent inappropriate posts. It’s important to remember that all online platforms have good and bad parts and we need to exercise caution when browsing the Internet.  

In Childline, we would be concerned to hear that anyone would be posting upsetting, uncomfortable information for entertainment purposes. You are very sensible in taking the first step of reaching out and asking for information and guidance. We have further information on our Childline website, articles on how to keep safe and what to do if you find upsetting information online: www.childline.ie/online-safety/ 

In addition, our other Childline services are available to you 24/7 too. We would love to chat to you more about your feelings regarding online platforms and how to keep safe if you would like to get in touch. We are a free and confidential listening service for all of Ireland’s children. You can get in touch with us by phone on 1800 66 66 66 or by text on 50101. You can also chat with us through our web chat service on our website: www.childline.ie. 

Thank you so much for contacting Ask Alex. 

Take care, 

Alex