What I Gave My Kid Instead of a Smartphone

After seeing things on social media no parent could unsee, I decided to do something about it

Illustration: cosmaa/Getty Images

A year ago, I spent months undercover on the popular video-making app, Musical.ly. (It’s since been renamed TikTok.) My commitment to using the app as an engrossed child, and not a mildly interested adult, led me into a social network…