With millions of children flocking to TikTok to watch, post and share videos, parents are faced with the 21st century task of keeping their kids safe while navigating a unique social media platform.
Michael Arterburn is focused on using the same platform to solve this problem.
Arterburn is a retired Louisville Metro Police Officer with 23 years of experience specializing in internet crimes against children. He turned to TikTok during the pandemic after seeing the dangers of the platform firsthand.
“My son came to me and was like, ‘Dad, look at this,’” Arterburn said. “It was two, maybe 10-year-old little girls twerking and wearing next to nothing on TikTok. There is no way their parents know they’re doing this.”
Even Arterburn was unfamiliar with TikTok, but he quickly turned to the site to help relay his message to parents. His account – appearing under the username has amassed over two million followers and 42 million likes.
“It was all [about] keeping your kids safe on the internet and what you can do,” Arterburn told Fox News Digital. Arterburn’s two decades in law enforcement, paired with his straight-shooting demeanor and occasional lightheartedness – caused viewers to flock to his account. By harnessing an audience on the very platform he is teaching about, Arterburn has managed to reach out and meet parents where their kids already are:
