60+ schools: Qld school students embroiled in TikTok rating scandals
Students from more than 60 Queensland schools including Gregory Terrace and Somerville House are engaging in online rating games including “smash or pass”. SEE THE LIST
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Students from at least 60 Queensland schools are using social media to rate the appearance of their peers, upload yearbook photographs and vote whether a classmate should be “smashed” or “passed”.
A Sunday Mail investigation has discovered a slew of accounts on TikTok dedicated to rating and bullying students, sparking calls from parents for more school interventions and police involvement in some cases.
Some of the accounts relate to Queensland’s most prestigious schools – including Brisbane Girls Grammar school, All Hallows’ School and St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace – while dozens of state schools are also represented.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FULL LIST OF SCHOOLS
It comes after The Courier-Mail reported that a Year 8 St Rita’s student shared individual photos of her entire class with a St Joseph’s Nudgee College boy and a video was made of the girls and uploaded to TikTok.
While an All Hallows’ School account listed the “most hated” students in Grade 7 and another described the “prettiest” students at the elite private school.
Reviews of social media reveal students at Miami State High School, Bribie Island State School, Edens Landing State School and Alexandra Hills State High School have also created “smash or pass” accounts, uploading images and names of students, asking other students to vote on whether they would “date”, “smash”, or “pass”.
All the schools named in this story were contacted for comment.
Nicole Gregory, principal of The Lakes College, where a student list has also been rated on TikTok, said her school “has zero tolerance for bullying or harm of any kind”.
“Any form of harm to a member of our community will be addressed according to relevant policy and procedure,” she said.
In a statement, a Department of Education spokeswoman said students are encouraged to report inappropriate content directly to their school.
“The department has a team that assists schools to prevent and respond to negative or
harmful online behaviour,” she said.
“The team provides advice on reporting harmful content through social media platform tools, as well as working with stakeholders about the removal of inappropriate or extreme content.”
Queensland neuroscientist Selena Bartlett said adolescent brains are only starting to develop in their early teens and it’s impossible for preteens and teenagers to truly comprehend the danger of what they are uploading to social media.
“Adolescent brains are already crazy because of hormonal changes,” she said.
“The reason things are much worse in 2024 compared to 2023 is because the nature of AI and recommendation systems, will feed a bubble of information that is the same.”
“It’s not about whether technology is good or bad. It’s become so normalised we don’t even think it’s bad now for young children to have a smartphone. Access to social media and TikTok has really taken over for kids. They’re designed to be addictive and keep people there.
Students at Beenleigh State High School were ranked in another account listing the “hottest 100” in the school and one account created last year callously described Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School students as “stuck up little rats”.
A student-owned Forest Lake State High School account encouraged users to vote on which year seven students would win in a fight, asking people to message the account with suggestions of potential matches.
Pine River State High School students are featured in a series of videos showcasing yearbook photographs, while a video uploaded in just May this year features yearbook photographs of Cleveland District State High School students.
Dany Elachi is the co-founder of Heads Up Alliance, a movement that encourages parents to delay introducing children to social media, says cyber-bullying is just one of the many reasons why a growing number of parents are in support of social media age restrictions.
“Kids are losing their childhoods, and we need to do something about it,” he said.
“We know that research coming out of France is suggesting 18 should be the minimum age [to access social media]. We’re pleased our government is talking about it at all. We think 16 is a fantastic start.
“We know a lot of these apps are designed intentionally to addict them. We’re not blaming the kids, we’re just saying it’s more harmful than it appears to be.”
Full list of schools
Schools with student ratings listed on TikTok:
Albany Creek State High School
Alexandra Hills State High School
All Hallows’ School
Aspley State School
Aviation High
Beenleigh State High School
Beerwah State School
Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Bracken Ridge High School
Bray Park State High School
Bribie Island State High School
Brigidine College
Brisbane Girls Grammar School
Browns Plains State High School
Bundamba Secondary College
Caboolture State High School
Camira State School
Capalaba State College
Cleveland District State High School
Corinda State High School
Craigslea State High School
Dalby High School
Deception Bay State High School
Eagleby State School
Earnshaw State College
Edens Landing State School
Everton Park State High School
Fortitude Valley State Secondary College
Goodna State School
Greenbank State School
Hervey Bay State High School
Kallangur State School
Loganlea State High School
Mabel Park State High School
Mango Hill State School
Mango Hill State Secondary College
Mansfield State High School
Marsden State High School
Moranbah State High School
Morayfield State School
Morayfield State High School
Mount Gravatt State High School
Narangba Valley State High School
Nerang State School
Park Ridge State High School
Pine Rivers State High School
Redbank Plains State High School
Sandgate District State High School
Shailer Park State High School
Sommerville House
Springwood State High School
St Columban’s College
St Joseph’s College, Gregory Terrace
St Rita’s College
The Lakes College
Trinity College Beenleigh
Tullawong State High School
Victoria Point State High School
Wavell State High School
Wellington Point State High School
Windaroo Valley State High School
Woodcrest State College
Woodford State School
Yarrabilba State Secondary College
Yeronga State High School
Schools with student voting contests listed on TikTok:
Bribie Island State School
Miami State High School Gold Coast
Alexandra Hills State High School
Forest Lake State High School
Edens Landing State School
Schools with student Little Mr. / Little Miss comparisons listed on TikTok:
Bribie Island State High School
Brisbane State High School
Deception Bay State High School
Ferny Grove State High School
Sunnybank State High School
Schools with yearbook photographs listed on TikTok:
MacGregor State High School
Pine River State High School
Cleveland District State High School
The above list is not exhaustive and while all efforts have been made to locate accounts, there are some student accounts that may be private or have removed videos.
Originally published as 60+ schools: Qld school students embroiled in TikTok rating scandals
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