• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SI Parent

Solutions For Parenting In Staten Island

Get Weekly Activities
Emailed To You
Subscribe
  • Connect With SI Parent:
  • Things To Do
  • Directories
    • After School
    • Birthday Parties
    • Summer Camps
    • Pre-School & Daycare
    • Health and Wellness
    • Special Needs
    • Home Improvement
  • Articles
    • Featured Articles
    • Positive Parenting
    • Stuff To Do
    • Coronavirus
    • Babies and Pregnancy
    • Special Needs Articles
    • Recipes and Food
    • Health and Safety
    • School, Camp and Education
    • Richmond University Medical Center
  • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Birthday Club
  • Advertise With Us
  • SI Parent Guides
Home / Articles / Featured Articles / Scenes from the Ultra Violent “Squid Game” Series Appearing on Kids’ TikTok

Scenes from the Ultra Violent “Squid Game” Series Appearing on Kids’ TikTok

September 30, 2021 By Barbara Russo

Scenes from the Ultra Violent “Squid Game” Series Appearing on Kids’ TikTok
credit: Shutterstock / Brocreative

Squid Game might sound like a cute app for young children, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Squid Game is neither a game nor for kids. And if your child has a social media account like TikTok, or access to a Netflix account without restrictions, there’s a good chance they’ve already seen Squid Game, or at least potentially disturbing scenes from it. Trending videos from Squid Game on TikTok’s “For You” pages are showing teens and tweens graphic images that you probably do not want them to see.  

What is Squid Game?

Netflix describes the South Korean drama as a series in which “hundreds of cash-strapped players accept a strange invitation to compete in children’s games.” The scenes are graphic, and feature sex, threats of sexual violence, murder, and torture. It’s currently the top-rated Netflix show. 

What should I do if my child has watched or wants to watch Squid Game?

It’s difficult to monitor everything your child sees, especially when it comes to social media. But there are some moves you can make to deter your kids from watching Squid Game or mitigating its negative effects on their well-being. Here’s some advice from experts on what parents should do if their child is watching or has been exposed to clips from Squid Game.

1. Talk to your child about trends and challenges on TikTok. 

Some of the signature features of TikTok are its global challenges and trends, such as the infamous #DeviousLicks challenge that involves school vandalism. This is why certain videos spread like wildfire across the platform in ways that they don’t on other social media platforms, says Teodora Pavkovic, psychologist and lead cyber safety expert at Linewize, a popular content filtering app.

“If your child does engage with the TikTok platform, talk to them about how certain trends are more worthy of being followed than others,” Pavkovic says. “You can make this decision together with your child and talk to them about their own digital decision making.”

2. Consider the age ratings on social media apps. 

Many parents may not be aware that most social media apps have age ratings. For the most part, they are 13 years and older. 

“The show Squid Game, on the other hand, has been rated seventeen-plus due to its violent, gory, and sexual content, although reviews from children as young as fourteen and fifteen have come back saying that younger audiences with greater maturity can handle the story line and visuals,” Pavkovic explains. 

3. Don’t eliminate your child’s access to TikTok entirely. 

If you’ve found your child viewing a lot of this content on TikTok and you’re worried, don’t rush to take away your child’s access to the platform. 

“Instead, have these conversations around the appropriateness of the app, online behavior, and the impact that viewing Squid Game content is having on them,” Pavkovic says. “From there, you can make an informed decision, together.”

Read Next | Teen Game Night

4. Monitor what your child watches on TV and streaming platforms. 

Aside from social media, it’s possible for children to see the show on TV. The good news is, most streaming services have PIN and password-based parental controls. Research shows that kids whose parents actively manage their media consume less and make quality choices on their own, according to Polly Conway, senior TV editor at Common Sense Media, an organization that works to ensure digital well-being for kids.

5. Preview shows and movies you’re questioning, like Squid Game, before you let your child watch them. 

The very first thing to do is see the show for yourself. Parents need to know that the level of violence in Squid Game is intense, according to Common Sense Media’s parent guide of the show. If you do decide to let your children watch the show, make sure to talk to them about what they’re seeing, and that it’s not okay to engage in certain behaviors they see in shows and movies.

“Squid Game may currently be the most sensational piece of media on Netflix right now, but it’s definitely not the only show or movie with this level of violence available on Netflix or elsewhere,” Conway explains. “If your kids have watched, talk to them about it. If they haven’t, it’s really easy to find age-appropriate media that’s free of violence that your kids will enjoy.”

after school dance class
Read Next | Find Great After School Programs in Staten Island


Wanna learn about more awesome family activities? Get our newsletters packed with ideas, events, and information for parents in Staten Island.

Filed Under: Featured Articles

Featured Events

Post an Event

Explore a new nature topic each week dur
Tomorrow, 10 am

Tot Time Tuesdays
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, Nature Interpretive Center

This summer, get ready for a celebration
Tomorrow, 10 am

LEGO® Summer of Play Event at LEGOLAND Discovery Center New Jersey
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center New Jersey

Splash into summer with an adventure alo
Tomorrow, 10 am

The Great Pirates & Mermaids Adventure
SEALIFE New Jersey at American Dream

This event will take place in person at
Tomorrow, 11 am

Summer Stencils
Tottenville Library

Become a naturalist during this weekly n
July 16, 10 am

Young Naturalists
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, Nature Interpretive Center

This event will take place in-person at
July 16, 11:15 am

Little Movers Storytime: Stuffed Animal Show and Tell
Mariners Harbor Library

View All Events…

Primary Sidebar

View Local Activities for Kids
  • Overcoming the Dangers of the Summer Sun: Melanoma and Skin Health
  • Here’s Where to Adopt a Pet in Staten Island
  • Teachers’ Top Needs for 2019
  • Fall Bucket List for Staten Island Families 2023
  • 31 Places to Take Photos with Santa In New York Area

Staten Island Parent

Staten Island Parent helps parents make better decisions. We have the latest activities and local events that matter to you. Plus many informative articles and important directories including schools, afterschool programs, camps, special needs, birthday parties, health and wellness. Our contests and clubs are fun for the whole family!

    • Browse Past Issues
    • Get Activities & School Info

Footer

si parent logo
Staten Island Parent
One MetroTech Center 3rd Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(646) 559–9100

Important Links

  • Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Browse Past Issues
  • Where to Find The Magazine
  • Write For Staten Island Parent
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap

Get Weekly Activities Emailed To You

Subscribe

Copyright © 1989-2025 Staten Island Parent Magazine, All Rights Reserved