Tiktok and Facebook: Parents concerned about 'love traps'

Two recent incidents have caused alarm among parents of teenage daughters, leaving them worried about how to ensure their children’s safety and how to effectively communicate the importance of self-protection.

One of the incidents involved the recovery of the body of a 13-year-old girl from Hatirjheel, Dhaka, on 2 February, 17 days after she had gone missing. The second incident concerns an 11-year old girl who was reported ‘missing’ from Mohammadpur, Dhaka.

Many feared that the second girl might have suffered the same horrific fate as the first. However, she was fortunately found alive. Following her rescue, social media was inundated with hateful and hostile comments directed at the girl and her family.

Child right activists have expressed concern that criminals are exploiting social media platforms and messaging applications such as Facebook, Tiktok, Instagram and IMO to easily set ‘love traps’ for teenage girls. Due to their young age, these girls often fail to recognise imminent danger, lack the necessary judgment and are highly emotional, making them particularly vulnerable to such traps. This is a matter of great concern.  

To mitigate these risks, experts have emphasised the importance of extensive awareness campaigns, restricting the use of social media before a certain age and ensuring greater parental involvement. They stress the necessity of parents dedicating time to their children and closely monitoring their activities.

One of the arrested individuals, Robin, a driver, admitted that he had lured the girl to a residence in Mohakhali after establishing contact with her through Facebook. Following the crime, the perpetrators placed her body in a sack and disposed it in Hatirjheel.

The teenage girl in question left home on 16 January, stating that she was going to a shop.

Meanwhile, an 11-year-old girl from Mohammadpur left Dhaka with a young man 11 years senior than her.

Following her recovery, a section of social media users launched relentless verbal attacks against the girl, disregarding her young age. However, the unacceptable behaviour of the adult male remained largely unchallenged.
The girl and her family had come to Dhaka for her mother’s cancer treatment. Regarding her decision to leave home, she stated, “I did not feel comfortable at home, so I left.”

Professor ASM Amanullah, a sociologist and vice-chancellor of the National University, told Prothom Alo that the victims in such cases should not be blamed. He asserted that the environment, family, educational institutions, the state system and unrestricted media access are all responsible. He further observed that the social values of the 1960s and 1970s are no longer in effect. Modernity, industrialisation, professional commitments and unrestricted media consumption have contributed to a sense of social unrest. These issues, he noted, are not new.

The girl in this case is also 11 years old and a fourth-grade student. She hails from a district near the border. Through TikTok, she became acquainted with a young man from Gazipur and they subsequently began communicating regularly via IMO.

One day, she informed her school friends that she was leaving with the young man. She provided them with a mobile phone number for future contact but explicitly instructed, "Do not give this number to my parents".
Two days after her disappearance, the girl was rescued. Investigations revealed that the young man was involved in creating TikTok videos and frequently engaged in relationships with different girls for this purpose.

This incident took place in Kamrangirchar, Dhaka. A 14-year-old daughter of a retired government official became acquainted with a TikTok content creator, aged between 24 and 25. The man was married.
Under the influence of this ‘relationship’, the girl ran away from home. Concerned for her safety, her family sought legal assistance, leading to her rescue. Following the incident, the girl suffered severe psychological distress.

In all two aforementioned incidents, the parents sought assistance from the Child Helpline of the Department of Social Services by dialing 1098. Counsellors from the helpline are providing psychosocial support to the two adolescent girls. In the case of the second girl, the TikTok content creator involved has also been included in the process. He has been made aware of his responsibility in helping the girl and has been advised to encourage her to resume her studies and return to a normal life.

Chowdhury Mohammad Mohaimen, Coordinator of Child Helpline 1098, informed Prothom Alo that among the various issues for which assistance is sought via the helpline, cyber-related matters are the most challenging. The parents of the affected adolescents often express extreme helplessness.

A mother, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that she has two adolescent daughters. As their household has an internet connection for study and entertainment purposes, she does not approve of their use of social media. However, as she is not well-versed in online matters, she finds it difficult to monitor their activities effectively. Given the incidents occurring around her, she is increasingly concerned about the safety of her daughters.

Taslima Akter, a para-counsellor at the Child Helpline, recounted her experience of speaking with adolescent girls. She noted that they often leave home due to emotional attachments without considering the consequences. In many families, children do not have a close relationship with their parents, who remain preoccupied with their own responsibilities. Some parents are unaware that their children even have social media accounts. In certain cases, they fail to grasp the severity of such incidents. Additionally, some parents express their helplessness, stating that even when they instruct their children to deactivate their accounts, they refuse to comply.

Chowdhury Mohammad Mohaimen, coordinator of Child Helpline 1098, emphasised the need for widespread regarding the potential dangers of using social media without proper security measures. Preventive strategies must be implemented through awareness campaigns. He notes that many parents themselves do not take necessary security precautions, nor do they ensure that their children use social media safely. Establishing a clear policy on the appropriate age for social media usage is essential, as developed countries are now focusing on this aspect. In addition, to providing support to victims, the Child Helpline is actively working to raise awareness on these issues.  

Professor ASM. Amanullah, a sociologist, believes that the use of social media by school students should be regulated to some extent. He stated, "Parents and teachers must play a role in this regulation. Several foreign television channels broadcast content that does not align with the social and cultural context of this country or contribute to children's development. The transmission of such channels should be discontinued in this country."