Initially created by the Chinese tech company, Bytedance, TikTok has quickly gone viral around the world by providing an intriguing platform that allows people to share and create short videos online. From old folks to first graders, it seems that everyone has the app downloaded. To put in perspective how popular the app has become, one out of every seven people on Earth is an active user of TikTok. That is one billion people using TikTok every day.
Despite its popularity, concerns about the app have been raised. People have argued that TikTok content is a bad influence on easily influenced audiences as these videos may include fake information. I believe that the app should be used periodically to create a balance between the benefits and the drawbacks.
TikTok attracts viewers through its algorithms that provide users with content to their liking. People find comfort in opening an app filled with encouraging videos that help them relax after a stressful day.
However, many people waste hours scrolling through the content on their phones because the algorithms make them feel so comfortable. People also criticize the app by suggesting that the algorithms create an echo chamber, meaning that people only hear opinions they agree with. This enforces stereotypes and prejudices that they may have previously had. TikTok is a double-edged sword. When used sporadically, it has a relaxing effect on people, but if used excessively, a person might find themselves with a big problem.
Other interesting features that TikTok offers are tools that allow viewers to create, edit, and post content on the app, essentially turning them from viewers into participants.
Since TikTok encourages users to make content, it’s easy for people to share their lives with others. It’s pretty common to see a friend making a TikTok during a free period at school. When you post a TikTok, it might become viral because a lot of people relate to what you did in the video or found it funny. A person can be popular virtually overnight.
With so many people using TikTok, many social issues are more noticeable to the public. Thanks to the efficiency of one’s ability to edit and post a video on TikTok, many injustices can be uncovered with just a few taps on the phone. With so many people using TikTok nowadays, the social backlashes for those who participated in unethical events are higher than ever. Take the BLM movement: the video of George Floyd gained millions of views overnight, and many people have posted videos explaining the movement or organizing people to protest through TikTok. These protest videos are also posted on TikTok so that even more people are aware of the social injustices that are occurring nowadays. TikTok serves as a deterrent for those who try to cover up their actions of racism or violence towards marginalized communities.
Big organizations such as the United Nations and state governments have created TikTok accounts and uploaded many videos. State officials have also opened accounts to be informed about public opinion. This creates a unique opportunity for them to get direct feedback from the community. Thus, they can change policies accordingly.
However, these opportunities can also create problems. The ability and speed of people to create fake news have increased substantially. On numerous occasions, this phony news have spread quickly on Tiktok through creating clickbaits. Those who made the videos can earn a lot of money from these click baits. Those who don’t know the truth would be misinformed through the videos.
In conclusion, in all of these situations, TikTok can benefit society as it helps people relax and informs people about the current status quo. However, if used excessively and uncritically, people lose a lot of time scrolling mindlessly through it and encounter misleading information. Thus, it is vitally important that people only use the app periodically.
