Dr Scott Griffiths
Senior Lecturer, Uni of Melbourne, Head, Physical Appearance Research TeamPresenting at the Sydney, Adelaide & Melbourne MHIS Conferences
Keynote Presentation: TikTok: Everything you wanted to know, including how to make it safer for students
TikTok is globally dominant with over 1.6 billion users and is the main cultural vehicle for contemporary youth culture. This talk will bring you up-to-speed on: (i) the origins of TikTok, (ii) the machine-learning algorithm that powers TikTok, (iii) the appeal of TikTok to young people, (iv) the concerns and controversies surrounding TikTok, including which are credible and which are contrived, (v) the process by which TikTok’s machine-learning algorithm can intensify students’ attitudes, beliefs, and mental health vulnerabilities, (vi) public policy and legislation efforts to make TikTok safer, and (vii) how you can help students to have a safer, happier experience on TikTok. The goal of this talk is for you to talk away with a research-informed, non-sensationalist understanding of TikTok that helps you to make more informed decisions and provide better guidance to students.
Dr Scott Griffiths
Dr Scott Griffiths is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychological Sciences at the University for Melbourne. He leads the Physical Appearance Research Team, a multi-disciplinary group of researchers and health professionals who investigate body image, appearance-related stigmas, appearance-related discrimination, appearance-enhancing substances, appearance enhancement, and appearance-related psychological disorders such as eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorders.