TikTok Gives a Face-Lift To Not Only Social Media but also Our Mindsets
December 2, 2019
Embarrassing and awkward have become the new cool as the app TikTok takes the digital realm by storm.
In a world where social media dominates our everyday lives and has teens focusing on how many “likes” they garner, how many followers they accumulate, and their insecurities and fear of missing out (FOMO), TikTok is changing the game with teenagers and young adults creating more relaxed and fun content that’s being embraced with open arms, making for a more positive space on social media.
A 2017 study addressed the correlation between social media and depressive symptoms in children ranging from eighth to 12th grade, concluding that the number of children exhibiting high levels of depressive symptoms increased by 33 percent between 2010 and 2015. With teenagers being the most avid social media users and making up 41% of the total TikTok user-base, TikTok emphasizes that its mission is to “inspire creativity and bring joy” and in turn curb the negative impact others impose.
Tik tok is a short form video app that allows users to make 15 to 60 second lip syncing, dancing, or comedy videos. It was launched in 2017, and within a year, TikTok was downloaded more than 660 million times, globally, making it the third most downloaded app in the United States as of 2018, surpassing both Facebook and Instagram in app installs, according to analytics site Sensor Tower.
“Unlike its competitors, such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter, TikTok is much more interactive, making it feel more organic. And I think that that definitely makes a difference in the way that people are now expressing themselves,” says Vera Ryzhik, a Content Strategist and Analyst at TikTok.
Users have free reign to make whatever they want putting them in creative control of what they post from start to end. You can use filters, as seen on snapchat, choose from an enormous selection of sounds, ranging from tv show or youtube sound bites to popular song clips or you can take part in the many dances or dare-like challenges.
Found on the ‘popular page’ are people like Claire Daddabbo (i_am_a_pizza), a 17-year-old “TikTok famous” creator. She comes across as a typical teenager: energetic and ambitious, with a surprisingly busy schedule consisting of school, college preparation, soccer practice, friends and family, and even a part time job. But in between studies and resume padding activities, Daddabbo spends anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour or two every day creating these viral videos and providing entertainment to her 842,000 followers.
Plastered on various users’ accounts are videos, similar to that of Daddabbo, of them participating in the ‘Dream feet dance’ or the ‘Git Up dance,’ the never ending lip syncs and dialogues, and even videos with their parents joining in on these wildly absurd and silly videos. “TikTok allows people to not take themselves so seriously. Whereas on those other platforms, people feel as if they have to be curated and present their “best” selves,” states Stephanie Humphrey, Technology & Lifestyle Contributor at ABC News.
Daddabbo acknowledges that she isn’t the most creative in terms of actual content or with coming up with creative ideas so when she started making TikTok videos she wasn’t hoping to get anything out of it, but she was met with a surprisingly positive response. “They were really awful videos. I would just roll around on my floor and post it, but that’s what it was for me - fun. Never did I expect my video to go viral.”
On any other platform, content like this wouldn’t be easily accepted by the online community, but TikTok has developed an “escapist” type platform where there is no judging, allowing people to be who they really are and not have to deal with a sort of, dual personality. Thus, this notion of creativity over quality is bringing back a new sense of community and originality.
Contrasting other social media apps, on TikTok you 1) don't have to be "friends" with someone to see their videos and 2) are strongly encouraged to engage with other users, through “response” videos or collaborations, perhaps making people feel more connected.
“It’s more intimate in terms of interaction on the app,” Daddabbo claims. “There is an upward level of supporting each other which is different than any other social media platform.” Through the sharing of other people’s videos and reaching out to other TikTokers, she recounts how she’s made some close friends through the app, both in her hometown and in neighboring areas. While they all share TikTok in common, they’re very different people who have a variety of different interests. Had it not been for this app, Daddabbo states that she “never would have met this amazing diverse group of people which has been a really cool experience.”
Not only are users getting a kick out of this new app, both creatively and socially, but so are its viewers. With it being so readily available and easy to share and consume, the user experience is as appealing as are the videos, and part of it could be that the user doesn’t have to do much except sit there. Lasting only 15 to 60 seconds, these videos easily cause many to spend more time than expected watching an endless stream of comedic videos, with users typically spending around 52 minutes per day on the app, according to Sensor Tower. Whether you’re bored at home or on your morning commute, TikTok has become an ideal form of quick entertainment. Ryzhik alludes to how the company employs a very subtle marketing tactic of a continuous seamless scroll which ultimately draws more people in and makes it hard for them to look away.
Although the future of TikTok is unclear, the thought is that its new approach to a more relaxed social media feed will stay. As Humphrey puts it, “It may not be on TikTok and it may not be called TikTok but I think the idea of putting yourself out there and being yourself for a few seconds is definitely going to keep going because a lot of people have fun with this and love watching it.”