TikTok may not be as big as Facebook, which is the largest social media network on Earth, or as influential as Twitter, where politicians and business people gather.
It may be nearly as powerful as Instagram, but not yet as large.
But still, the platform is where many of the social media trends reside. It's where viral contents and memes are born, and where challenges are made.
TikTok is where youngsters of the internet, as well as many teenagers around the world gather.
TikTok is a home to them, when they are at home and away from home.
And this apparently, saved a young girl from a pedophile senior citizen.
A teen aged 16 from North Carolina, the U.S., was allegedly kidnapped by a 61-year-old man, and was made a passenger sitting at the back seat of his silver Toyota Camry.
At one point towards their destination,
There, the young girl flashed a hand sign popularized on TikTok as a distressed signal.
This signal was picked up by passing motorist, who apparently understood the TikTok-popularized SOS message.
The person quietly called 911 and followed the Camry, providing the authorities updates on their location.
"The complainant was behind the vehicle and noticed a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform 'TikTok' to represent violence at home - I need help - domestic violence," said Laurel County Sheriff John Root.
"The complainant advised 911 that the female appeared to be in distress. In addition, the complainant noted that the vehicle was being driven by a male subject."
The older man was later identified as James Herbert Brick of Cherokee, North Carolina.
At the time, Brick said that he and the girl were on their way to visit Brick's relatives in Ohio.
But seeing the girl, the authorities learned that the 16-year-old had been reported missing a day earlier by her parents in Asheville, North Carolina.
The authorities realized this when they stopped the car at a traffic stop on Interstate 75 in southern Kentucky, said Sheriff Root.
"It was learned through investigation that the female passenger was a reported missing juvenile – reported by her parents on Tuesday morning missing from Asheville, North Carolina," the Laurel Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. "A check through NCIC confirmed that she was a reported missing person."
"The female juvenile told Sheriff's investigators that she had gotten with the male subject and traveled through North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and into Ohio where the accused had relatives."
"When the male subject's relatives realized that the female in his custody was under age and reported missing, the accused left Ohio traveling southbound and the female juvenile then began attempting to get motorists attention to call 911."
According to Laurel County Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, she had initially gone willingly with Brick.
But when she realized that something was wrong, "I think she started fearing for her life," Acciardo said.
Brick was then questioned, and had his phone taken from him.
And this was when the authorities found something more sinister: the phone had a photo "that allegedly portrayed a juvenile female in a sexual manner."
This proves that Brick is a pedophile and a child predator.
Because of this, Brick was then taken to the Laurel County Correctional Center, and charged with unlawful imprisonment and possession of matter showing sex performances by a minor.
As for the hand signals, they include motions made by a fist enclosed across the thumb placed in front of the palm.
Together, they create three signals that represent "violence at home," "I need help" and "domestic violence."
The hand signals do not ask anyone to call the police immediately, but says "reach out to me safely."
It is suggested that the hand signals can be made using one hand, and can be done discreetly. In cases, victims can show the signals when they don't want to alert their abductors, or cannot speak freely due to the dangerous situation they are in.
The SOS gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns as a way for people to indicate they were in unsafe situations at home.
According to the United Nations, cases of domestic abuse increased by upwards of 20% during lockdowns, part of a disturbing trend the organization called a "shadow pandemic."
And posts that explain the gestures began to circulate on TikTok in 2020, following the global increase in domestic violence where victims were trapped inside with their abusers.
Social media networks in general have received mixed to negative reviews due to them affecting the mental health of their users. For more than several years, social media services deal with bullies and trolls, as well as suicide cases.
But in certain cases, like this one, social media networks do help raise awareness that is proving vital in helping victims.
