An Irish doctor has slammed a new TikTok trend that sees parents 'exploiting children' for likes online.
The videos which involve parents rushing into a room and telling their kids that a group of people are outside looking for a fight.
They then film the child's reaction and post it online.
READ MORE: Dublin daughters go viral with reaction to 'corner' fight call out on TikTok
Dr Niamh Lynch blasted parents for not respecting their children's privacy.
She said: "There is a trend doing the rounds on TikTok.
"A parent rushes into the room and tells their child that there are people outside who are coming to fight. And the child must fight with them.
"Reactions range from fear, upset, terror, rage. It's all filmed and uploaded.
"Videos of children sobbing, fearful, frightened. Truly believing that they must go out on the street and fight. That there is a real and present threat at their front door.
"Their parents egging them on. Ignoring or oblivious to the fear in their own child's eyes as they watch them through their phone. Maybe thinking 'this could go viral'.
"Young, vulnerable and unaware that this footage will be broadcast, possibly to millions. Children, exploited for clicks, likes, views, shares. Commodified to generate traffic on a social media website. By their parents.
"And those parents then bathed in dopamine as the views and likes keep coming. The child? Well who cares about the child?
Thousands of people liked the video.
"Children are not here for our entertainment. They can be funny, cute, hilarious. But they should be able to trust their parents. Not be exploited for 30 seconds of 'content'.
"And they have a right to privacy."
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