Extracting time patterns from the lifespans of TikTok challenges to characterize non-dangerous and dangerous ones

Abstract

One of the key aspects that distinguish TikTok from other social media is the presence of challenges. A challenge is a kind of competition that starts when a user posts a video with certain actions and a certain hashtag and invites other users to replicate the same video in their own way. Most challenges are fun and harmless, but sometimes dangerous challenges are launched as well. The authors of these challenges use various tricks to bypass TikTok’s controls. In this paper, we analyze the lifespans of some TikTok challenges and show how they are very different for non-dangerous and dangerous ones. Then, we deepen our analysis by identifying some time patterns that characterize the two types of challenges. Finally, we test the accuracy of the results obtained on a large set of challenges different from those used during the detection of time patterns. The focus of this paper is the detection of time patterns allowing the classification of challenges in dangerous and non-dangerous ones. This could represent a first step towards an approach for the early detection of dangerous challenges in TikTok.

Event-Centric Temporal Knowledge Graph Construction: A Survey

“…These knowledge graphs serve as dynamic repositories of temporal information, fostering a deeper understanding of complex relationships and interactions across diverse domains. An example of such use is trend analysis as demonstrated by Bonifazi et al [63]. Their exploration of time patterns in TikTok trends not only sheds light on emerging trends but also helps discern potentially harmful trends.…”

Burn Injuries From TikTok Challenges: A Brief Report

“…In a recent study, different characteristics of communities that use non-dangerous vs dangerous online challenges were studied using evolutionary pathways via network analyses for the purposes of early detection and prevention. 3 The authors show that dangerous challenges have fewer authors who are mutually self-supportive, have a higher average number of views or likes, and may follow a specific growth pattern. 3 Furthermore, a narrative review on TikTok showed that these challenges may be related to the psychologic processes such as upward social comparison or “fear of missing out” and that younger participants may be especially vulnerable to social media challenges.…”

“…3 The authors show that dangerous challenges have fewer authors who are mutually self-supportive, have a higher average number of views or likes, and may follow a specific growth pattern. 3 Furthermore, a narrative review on TikTok showed that these challenges may be related to the psychologic processes such as upward social comparison or “fear of missing out” and that younger participants may be especially vulnerable to social media challenges. 4 We hope that this brief report of severe burn injuries in children and young adolescents to bring awareness to the public and motivate further research into the impact of social media on dangerous challenges.…”