Schools nationwide increase security in response to TikTok threats

Schools nationwide have increased security in response to shooting and bomb threats that have been made on TikTok.

Schools in Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, New York and Pennsylvania have said classes on Friday would see an increase in police presence or would be canceled altogether due to the threats made on the social media platform, The Associated Press reports.

“We are writing to inform you and not alarm you,” school administrations from Oak Park and River Forest, Ill., told parents. “We have been made aware of a nationwide viral TikTok trend about ‘school shooting and bomb threats for every school in the USA even elementary’ on Friday, December 17.”

The school said the local police department would be in the area as a precaution.

Gilroy High School in Northern California made the decision to cancel school on Friday after threats were found against it on social media and postponed the last day of finals until January. 

“Making the decision to cancel classes tomorrow has not been an easy one,” Principal Greg Kapaku told parents.

TikTok acknowledged the threats circulating online, saying the platform is working with authorities and that none of the posts have been deemed credible. 

“We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we’re working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok,” TikTok said Thursday on Twitter.

We handle even rumored threats with utmost seriousness, which is why we’re working with law enforcement to look into warnings about potential violence at schools even though we have not found evidence of such threats originating or spreading via TikTok.

— TikTokComms (@TikTokComms) December 16, 2021

State and local police around the country have said credible threats have not been found in the social media trend but are still taking precautions, according to the AP. 

The TikTok trend follows another viral TikTok challenge in September called “devious licks,” in which students were vandalizing schools for “likes” on the social media platform.