Concerns About a Sister’s TikTok Activities

Dear Mr. U: My sister is a TikTok dancer

Dear Right,

My sister, who’s in her senior year of high school, has been acting a bit off lately. During a recent break at home, I caught her being really into TikTok—like, it’s kind of excessive. She’s been posting these suggestive dance videos, and honestly, she hardly wears anything in them. Surprisingly, she’s racked up hundreds of thousands of followers. It really bothers me that there are creepy guys out there who might be watching her videos. I’m torn about whether I should tell our parents. If they found out, I know they’d be heartbroken, and I’m not sure if I want to add that stress to their lives. I really need some advice here.

– Seamus in Dallas

Dear Seamus,

First off, I want to clarify that this isn’t “snitching.” You’re not going to be betraying your sister here. This isn’t like the usual teenage antics of sneaking drinks from their parents’ liquor cabinet. A teenage girl’s fixation on posting risqué dance videos can spiral out of control.

You really should talk to your parents about this, even if it makes them feel uneasy. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram can lead to much worse situations, almost like gateways to other platforms where people might exploit themselves. While I doubt your sister is a bad person, sometimes young people can get swept away by trends online. They might end up doing something regrettable later on, potentially leading down a dangerous path.

I suggest you gather your family and have an intervention as soon as possible. Don’t hesitate to take on the protective brother role. There are plenty of questionable people out there who could take advantage of her. Yes, she might resent you for it initially, but in the long run, when she realizes the trouble you helped her avoid, she’ll likely appreciate that you took a stand to help her.