TikTok is a very popular app with teenagers and older kids. There are frequent challenges, sometimes funny, sometimes of bad taste and sometimes even dangerous. Recently, a new challenge has been gaining popularity. Basically, the users have to downland ian app to random GPS coordinates and follow on some weird “adventures”.
While it can be fun for adults, it's actually quite scary for kids and teens. The app is called Randonautica and it is suggested that parents ensure that their children do not download it.
Randonautica sends users on a random adventure to explore their area. To do this, they must share our position, set an intention and follow the instructions until a random point that the application generates for the player. In theory, it sounds harmless enough, but when you go through the videos you see some weird and scary things.
For example, a group of would have found a corpse in a suitcase! They reportedly contacted Seattle Police, who later confirmed the contents of the suitcase were human remains and said investigators found several other bags in the area, as well as body parts. Scary stuff!
Another big issue with this is that the application forces the user to give full access to their location. So the whereabouts of the teenagers are known to the app and to the person behind it.
An organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse has posted a warning on its Facebook page urging parents not to let their children download the app in question.
This app will ask for your kid's location while downloading and then sends them to unknown and dangerous destinations. Teenagers across the country document their “Randonauting adventures” on TikTok and share it with the world.
Adolescents have no idea where they are being sent or to whom they are being sent to. It's worrying, when you think of the predators of this world… Children could end up going to a dangerous place or even be followed, assaulted, kidnapped… The video below shows two people being followed by masked guys.
It is therefore important to have a good discussion about this with children and teenagers, almost all of whom are likely to use TikTok and be tempted to take on dangerous challenges. There is no risk to take when it comes to the safety of young people...Better safe than sorry!
