Franklin High School PTSA partners with TikTok to encourage healthy social media boundaries

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- With legal and political pressure mounting, TikTok is attempting to prioritize safety for Portland students.

At Franklin High School, the social media giant teamed up with the Parent Teacher Student Association for a panel on teen safety tools, called Create with Kindness.

The initiative tackles cyberbullying, content overload, and setting strong online boundaries.

"Truthfully, I have been one of those parents who needed this, because I don't understand social media," said Joy Poole, the president of the Franklin PTSA.

Poole says the Oregon and national PTAs reached out about TikTok's new initiatives. The company highlights safety tools and those PTA partnerships as steps toward a safer platform for teens.

"The goal ultimately is to help facilitate digital wellbeing in all of these conversations between parents and young people," said Youth Safety and Wellbeing Outreach and Partnerships Manager at TikTok Ron Taylor.

The meeting comes as Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is suing TikTok over claims of the app's addictive algorithms, deceptive marketing and mental health harms.

Rosenblum is not the only one taking legal action. Other states, including Washington, are watching closely as TikTok faces lawsuits across the nation.

With a possible nationwide ban in January, TikTok says it's tackling mental health concerns, especially with so many teens on the app.

"I mean, like every other teen, I think I use social media almost every day," said Yenni Chavez, Franklin's senior class president.

Over 60% of U.S. teens use TikTok every day, according to a Pew Research Center survey from last year.

TikTok's biggest advice: Limit sharing, boost account security and use parental controls to manage screen time.

While Franklin already bans phones during the school day, Poole says talking about healthy online relationships is key.

"We know the kids are gonna be using social media outside of school. So if they're going to be using it, then we need to have the tools to help them be safe and work on their mental well-being," she said.