Review of TeenToks
The numerical rating I would give TeenToks is a four out of five based on the criteria discussed above and my own experience using the app. I found that using teen teachers to convey messages and techniques related to mental health to be very useful for adolescent users. Peer to peer guidance is a topic that Julie A. Laser (2021) discusses in Chapter 9 of her book Working with adolescents: A guide for practitioners. This type of intervention is effective because peers tend to hold more influence than parents and they share more knowledge of teen related media (Laser, 2021). A 13-year-old client may find it easier to practice skills and techniques outside of sessions if the advice comes from a fellow 15-year-old rather than their adult therapist. Nonetheless, it's important to acknowledge the fact that adolescents are going through a period of heightened brain plasticity as mentioned in the Social Work Podcast with Laurence Steinberg (2014). Adolescents’ experiences during this time can significantly affect how their brain develops (Steinberg, 2014). This implies that users, especially those between ages 12-21, should be cautious of what they are watching and how they interact with others on the app. Using TeenToks can have a more lasting impact on the brain of a 12-year-old than a 45- year-old.
To ensure that the content on TeenToks is appropriate for its targeted audience, developers hire Tokkers that are passionate about helping others. Those interested in making content apply for the position and are approved beforehand. Only certain users can make content and posts on the app. I believe that the help of Tokkers keeps the content appropriate and saves developers from having to constantly monitor what is shared. Another reason why TeenToks works so well for adolescents is because with the rise of the internet, people are now able to create new versions of themselves online (Laser, 2021). As a result, they may feel more comfortable discussing mental health related topics with others. On the other hand, the app could significantly improve its ability to create profiles so that users can better relate and bond with one another over certain aspects of their culture such as gender, race, sexuality, etc.
Another component of TeenToks that led me to my high rating was that the app can be used by families. Users can create up to 6 different profiles under one family. Family involvement in discussions and practices around menthol health can help normalize the topic and make adolescents feel more comfortable confiding in their parents or guardians. As mentioned by Marlene M Moretti and Maya Peled (2004) the role of a parent cannot be replaced by peers. Adolescents still need a stable parental attachment (Moretti & Peled, 2004). This stability teaches skills like emotional regulation, resilience and self-esteem (Moretti & Peled, 2004). This app can enable parents to continue fostering strong bonds and healthy communication with their children.
The reason why I deducted a point from my rating is because of the unclear information about children's privacy and consent. As a user, It took me a while to locate the privacy policy and even after reading the whole document, I remained confused. Even though TeenToks was able to give explicit definitions of personal data and list what data they collected, it stated that parental consent was still needed. Yet I was still able to create an account as a 13-year-old without the app asking for parental consent before gaining access. TeenToks needs to share this information with users and their parents before joining or this information should be provided before being able to create an account. An additional element that could make the app more accessible for everyone is to include additional features that help users with disabilities or impairments. For instance, having adjustable font sizes, customizable color schemes and vibration alerts. Overall, the goal of TeenToks is to provide adolescents with additional tools and support to improve their overall well-being. With a few changes to the privacy policy and accessibility, this app has the potential to be a safe and meaningful resource for adolescent users.
To ensure that the content on TeenToks is appropriate for its targeted audience, developers hire Tokkers that are passionate about helping others. Those interested in making content apply for the position and are approved beforehand. Only certain users can make content and posts on the app. I believe that the help of Tokkers keeps the content appropriate and saves developers from having to constantly monitor what is shared. Another reason why TeenToks works so well for adolescents is because with the rise of the internet, people are now able to create new versions of themselves online (Laser, 2021). As a result, they may feel more comfortable discussing mental health related topics with others. On the other hand, the app could significantly improve its ability to create profiles so that users can better relate and bond with one another over certain aspects of their culture such as gender, race, sexuality, etc.
Another component of TeenToks that led me to my high rating was that the app can be used by families. Users can create up to 6 different profiles under one family. Family involvement in discussions and practices around menthol health can help normalize the topic and make adolescents feel more comfortable confiding in their parents or guardians. As mentioned by Marlene M Moretti and Maya Peled (2004) the role of a parent cannot be replaced by peers. Adolescents still need a stable parental attachment (Moretti & Peled, 2004). This stability teaches skills like emotional regulation, resilience and self-esteem (Moretti & Peled, 2004). This app can enable parents to continue fostering strong bonds and healthy communication with their children.
The reason why I deducted a point from my rating is because of the unclear information about children's privacy and consent. As a user, It took me a while to locate the privacy policy and even after reading the whole document, I remained confused. Even though TeenToks was able to give explicit definitions of personal data and list what data they collected, it stated that parental consent was still needed. Yet I was still able to create an account as a 13-year-old without the app asking for parental consent before gaining access. TeenToks needs to share this information with users and their parents before joining or this information should be provided before being able to create an account. An additional element that could make the app more accessible for everyone is to include additional features that help users with disabilities or impairments. For instance, having adjustable font sizes, customizable color schemes and vibration alerts. Overall, the goal of TeenToks is to provide adolescents with additional tools and support to improve their overall well-being. With a few changes to the privacy policy and accessibility, this app has the potential to be a safe and meaningful resource for adolescent users.
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Amazing
It's so cute and really helped, but one question, can you post videos if if so, how????
Filling a Critical Niche!!
The mental health of our up and coming generation is super important, and often neglected.
Content on how to manage different feelings and situations should be a part of EVERY teen’s life. Even if the person in question isn’t actively struggling with their mental health, these videos teach skills that are super valuable for everyone.
Content on how to manage different feelings and situations should be a part of EVERY teen’s life. Even if the person in question isn’t actively struggling with their mental health, these videos teach skills that are super valuable for everyone.
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LOVE THIS APP
The TeenToks app is an amazing app that I can’t get enough of. The videos are innovative and they make they laugh🤣.
Amazing app!
I love TeenToks because of how fun and entertaining the videos are while also teaching me a lot of tools to help my mental health. I usually end up feeling drained after a while of using other social media apps, but it’s the exact opposite for TeenToks! The videos don’t get boring or repetitive and I actually look forward to using the app because of its positive atmosphere.
It can be hard to find mental health resources that are 1) engaging and 2) actually helpful, but this app is both! And as a teenager, it‘s really great to see other teens talking about mental health topics and struggles. The teen video creators do an incredible job teaching and connecting with viewers, which is a big part of why using this app helps me feel less alone.
I really recommend TeenToks to other teenagers who are looking to learn more about mental health, feel understood by other teens, or just watch positive, fun videos!
It can be hard to find mental health resources that are 1) engaging and 2) actually helpful, but this app is both! And as a teenager, it‘s really great to see other teens talking about mental health topics and struggles. The teen video creators do an incredible job teaching and connecting with viewers, which is a big part of why using this app helps me feel less alone.
I really recommend TeenToks to other teenagers who are looking to learn more about mental health, feel understood by other teens, or just watch positive, fun videos!
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Best mental health app!
This app is perfectly oriented for teens. Its educational but also entertaining and i've learned so much about how to take charge of my mental health struggles by using it! Would highly recommend!
Great App!
Teen Toks is changing the scope of what it means to support children and teenagers with their mental health. Engaging, Entertaining, just a joy to watch and learn from these content creators!
Love This App!!
I love this app! It's very original. There's a lot of science and great advice but I found the videos to still be super fun and engaging. What a fun way to learn about mental health! Highly recommend it!
LOVE THIS APP
This app is incredible! It’s an amazing resource for not only teens but adults and kids too. The videos are both engaging and informative! The videos are so creative and entertaining it’s hard not to watch them all! This app varies in a ton of different struggles that people face and is constantly brightening my day!
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Great content
Great application, great content. Definitely recommend. My favorite was Grace! She is excellent
Sooo helpful!
This app is really special! I don't know any other app thats entire focus is to make entertaining and educational videos to help teens with their mental health. I am able to sit and watch 15 of these videos without getting bored, and I know I am gaining knowledge while doing so. There are a ton of little tricks that I have learned from this app that I put in my back pocket and they've actually been useful to me. I wish more people knew about this.
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Great resource!
I love these videos. As a therapist who works with teens, showing them mental health info from people closer to their age is super powerful!
Great tool for teens
Engaging content that does more than just normalize mental health, it also provides easy tools for teens to take of their mental health. With advice from everything from anxiety to body image. This app is the tool box every teen needs in their pocket.
Love it!
The videos are all super engaging so I can sit around and scroll for hours if I want, just like other social media apps. The difference is that here, the content I’m consuming is actually helpful, too. I’ve learned a lot of techniques that help in all areas of my life, and I’ve ended up sharing them with my parents too lol. It’s really great because I can access it any time I don’t feel great and immediately find something that can help. It’s kinda like the express version of therapy.
I love it, and definitely recommend it for everyone and their moms. And dads and siblings and friends and… basically just for everyone!
I love it, and definitely recommend it for everyone and their moms. And dads and siblings and friends and… basically just for everyone!
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So Cute!
I really enjoyed the colors of the teen tok app; I think the layout, design, and graphics presents an environment for students of all ages to engage and learn about mental health practice. I also appreciate how the app seeks to track the meditation schedule of the children. Therefore, children can easily track and keep tabs on their mental health progress. One element that I feel can be made better on the app is the section about the students that create the tick tocks. I think it would be helpful for these tik tokers to discuss their educational and personal background in a short paragraph prior to the log of their videos. I also think that the tik tokers should have fun facts about themselves before the videos. I think this will help students humanize the tik tokers, and relate and trust the words of the tik tokers. I also think there should be a free video section. While I understand the app desires for people to pay for videos, not all individuals are capable of paying. Therefore, constantly clicking on videos that one has to pay for can discourage poorer students from utilizing the app.
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Amazing for therapists to use with teens clients
Love this! I have been using in my school and with my teen patients. Super helpful and most importantly it really resonates with both kids and teens. Highly recommend to therapists. Renee Jain and her team are geniuses and super creative. Thank you for putting a wonderful tool in the hands of therapists.
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This app has great potential
I love all the free videos. I’ve been watching some every few days for the past couple of weeks, and they have helped my life in some actually pretty noticeable ways
My criticism is mainly the price of the subscription. Firstly, many teens do not have their own money or access to ways to digitalize that money to buy a subscription like this- myself included. Secondly, I think $10 a month is a bit too pricy for what’s included, as right now it is very limited. You only get 6 new videos a week and have a total of less than 500 videos to scroll through. While this is definitely still a lot of content, it is limited, and I can’t imagine myself wanting to pay $10 a month for it. The yearly option is much more reasonable, but in my humble opinion I think the monthly pay option should be closer to maybe 6 or 7 dollars a month, at least until the platform significantly expands.
Also, it annoys me how certain videos that used to be free no longer are? I like to rewatch the videos but then I noticed a couple I would rewatch I can’t anymore and it was disappointing. I also think this app would benefit from a free trial system (if it has one idk, but it’s not openly advertised) and benefit from at least slightly more free content
Honestly wishing y’all the best, because like this review is called, this app has seriously great potential. Cheers
My criticism is mainly the price of the subscription. Firstly, many teens do not have their own money or access to ways to digitalize that money to buy a subscription like this- myself included. Secondly, I think $10 a month is a bit too pricy for what’s included, as right now it is very limited. You only get 6 new videos a week and have a total of less than 500 videos to scroll through. While this is definitely still a lot of content, it is limited, and I can’t imagine myself wanting to pay $10 a month for it. The yearly option is much more reasonable, but in my humble opinion I think the monthly pay option should be closer to maybe 6 or 7 dollars a month, at least until the platform significantly expands.
Also, it annoys me how certain videos that used to be free no longer are? I like to rewatch the videos but then I noticed a couple I would rewatch I can’t anymore and it was disappointing. I also think this app would benefit from a free trial system (if it has one idk, but it’s not openly advertised) and benefit from at least slightly more free content
Honestly wishing y’all the best, because like this review is called, this app has seriously great potential. Cheers
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Response from developer
This feedback is so valuable-thank you for taking the time to give us a way to make the app even better. We're excited the content is hitting home and that you're watching some videos each day. As you mentioned, there are 500 or so videos and each week we're adding more. Each of these videos takes time for our teen creators to script and film as they are based on research, so we're rolling them out as fast as we can! Thank you for the feedback on the pricing - we're trying offer lots of free videos and also a yearly option that is very reasonable. We'll continue to work hard to make the app as accessible as possible. Thank you, again!
A Lifesaver for Teens in Today's World
Every teen should use this app! The videos help regulate the nervous system and actually build self-esteem instead of deplete it like other social platforms!
Response from developer
Wonderful to hear - thank you for the feedback!
LOVE TeenToks!
I’m so glad to see apps like this one on the market! Aimed towards the younger generation but with feel-good content that is inspiring and helpful. I love scrolling through the videos on here!
Response from developer
We're so happy to hear you feel inspired by the content! Thank you for the feedback!
I love this app!
Teentoks is such a great app! I’ve learned so much from their content. I think it’s amazing that I’m being served content created by teens! There are so many young people that could benefit from this app! Highly recommend!
