Teachers on TikTok: A Safeguarding Lead Weighs In on the Risks and Realities

In response to growing concerns over the use of TikTok by educators within classroom settings, our EdTech innovation hub team recently interviewed Thomas Michael, a safeguarding lead at a secondary school.

Last week we published an opinion piece highlighting the potential dangers of teachers leveraging TikTok as a pedagogical tool. Our discussion with Michael delves deeper into these issues: 

Can you describe the current trend of teachers using TikTok in classrooms and the types of content they are posting?

There is a growing trend of teachers documenting their work lives through TikTok. This could be posts like "Life in the day of a teacher", where they document the time they wake up, leave the house, what they do when they get into school, like organising resources, etc., the time spent teaching and then the time they leave school.

In some cases, teachers are creating content in the classroom, with (in most cases) the camera focused on them at the board or at their desks, but student's voices can be heard clearly. There have also been cases where students have been filmed but have had their faces blurred.

From a safeguarding perspective, what are the main concerns associated with teachers sharing content from their classrooms on TikTok? How do videos featuring students, either audibly or visually, conflict with student privacy and safeguarding policies?

From a safeguarding perspective, using your phone to film content is a big concern. A teacher creating content about marking in PPA lessons, etc, is absolutely fine, but when your focus in the classroom is on your TikTok and the content you are creating rather than the students in your care, it's a worry. There are potential issues for the students involved - even if they can only be heard, they could still potentially be identified.

There is also the need to protect the members of staff. If you have your phone out filming things in class, you open yourself up to all sorts of accusations and allegations. From what I saw when I was looking into this, a lot of students were aware of their teachers' accounts and were commenting on videos. Staff were interacting with those comments - on any other social media platform, that is an absolute no-no, but TikTok seems to be blurring the lines when it comes to boundaries for some reason.

How does the portrayal of unrealistic teaching standards on TikTok affect new teachers' expectations and their approach to their roles?

It can give a warped perception of what teaching/working in education actually is. Life on social media is always susceptible to manipulation, for things to be presented to us in the most perfect way, and TikTok is not immune to that.

What advice would you give to teachers considering using TikTok or other social media platforms to share classroom activities?

If you are considering filming during a lesson, don't. It's as simple as that for me. I don't think there is any compelling argument that will ever change my mind. From an official school account is one thing, but a personal social media account? Absolutely not.

How can schools educate teachers about the potential risks and implications of using TikTok in a professional setting?

I think reminding staff of the importance of protecting not only the students but also themselves is really key. Ultimately, when it comes to content filmed in the classroom, the question that needs to be asked is, what are you here for? You are here to teach to educate the students - they are not content opportunities for your channel.

How do you balance the potential benefits of social media with the safeguarding risks it presents?

Social media can be incredibly powerful when used properly but also incredibly dangerous when used incorrectly. The safeguarding of the students should always be the absolute priority, so no matter how good you think the funny video with the year 10s might be, it's just not worth it. 

How can teachers use social media responsibly to enhance their teaching practice and development while ensuring they adhere to safeguarding and privacy standards?

As I said, social media, when used well, can be incredibly powerful. I wouldn't be in a position to have this conversation now if it wasn't for EduTwitter. Networking and engaging on Twitter has given me a number of wonderful opportunities. I have seen some really useful stuff on TikTok; I know ETCs have found experienced staff discussing how they do certain things really beneficial. Show us the resources you've made, talk us through how you teach a certain concept, just don't film in the classroom.

Finally, what message would you like to send to educators nationwide about the responsible use of social media, particularly TikTok, in their professional lives?

It really isn't worth it. Well, actually, sadly, for some, it is. Some accounts have amassed huge followings and have earned paid promotions for particular products and may even get money from TikTok due to the number of views they get. I am not very comfortable with that when those accounts are using the students in their videos.

Please think about what is more important - the education and the safety of the students that have been entrusted into your care or your social media profile.