Presenter Zoe Hardman has issued a stark warning after discovering that her 11-year-old daughter had a secret TikTok account on which she posted videos of herself in a bikini.
The Heart FM DJ, 43, who also runs parenting podcast Made by Mammas, said she was ‘horrified’ to discover that daughter Luna has social media and admits she hadn’t been as strict as she should have been with parental controls.
She has now warned parents to closely monitor their children’s devices and be aware of what they’re accessing online.
Speaking on her podcast, she said: ‘When we were on holiday a couple of weeks ago I got a message from our nanny Taylor saying, ‘Were you aware that Luna has somehow managed to set herself up with a TikTok account?’
‘I was horrified. ” I don’t understand what you’re talking about, she doesn’t have TikTok on her iPad and she doesn’t really ever use her iPad.”‘
Ms Hardman confronted her daughter who was ‘so full of shame’ about the account which led to her ‘crying under the covers’ and repeatedly saying ‘I’m so sorry mummy’.
Presenter Zoe Hardman has issued a stark warning after discovering that her 11-year-old daughter had a secret TikTok account on which she posted videos of herself in a bikini
Instead of asking to see the TikTok account, Ms Hardman instructed her daughter to delete the profile without checking or removing the account from the platform herself.
Ms Hardman later discovered that her daughter had not deleted the account and was continuing to post videos.
‘When I went on to TikTok there were loads of videos of her doing dances in a bikini with a filter on her face, looking much older,’ she said.
She also found messages from people ‘who I had no idea who they were’ on her 11-year-old daughter’s social media.
In last Friday’s Q&A podcast, Ms Hardman added: ‘I want to share this, not to shame her, but as a warning.
‘If you’ve taken the app off their iPads, they can still download things, I obviously haven’t got the right parental controls set up. I’m such an idiot.
‘I’ve deleted the account but who knows who has got hold of any of the videos.’
Ms Hardman’s warning comes as changes are being made to the way British children can access and use social media.
The Heart FM DJ, 43, who also runs parenting podcast Made by Mammas, said she was ‘horrified’ to discover that daughter Luna has social media
From Spring 2027, under-16s in the UK will no longer be able to use Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
YouTube will also be banned for under-16s but YouTube Kids will not be included.
The Government ban will also restrict livestreaming and strangers contacting children who are under-18.
The ban comes following a Government consultation and claims to ‘go further’ than other countries such as Australia where a social media ban for under-16s came into force in November 2024.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login