TikTok is bad!

Addicting, portraying a false image, and having the potential to hurt its users just like any social media, TikTok is a dangerous app. Its users are exposed to short videos that are mostly created for entertainment, something that allows for a distortion of reality.

TikTok is extremely addicting. With the videos only lasting seconds, it is too easy to keep scrolling. Wasting an hour or two on TikTok is a simple task. Ranging from dancing videos to storytime videos, the options are endless. The different types of videos keep users interested, and those who specialize in making TikToks know just how to grab their viewers’ attention.

Some of the TikToks that users come across on their “For You” page seem too good to be true. In fact, they probably aren’t true. The perfect girls who know every dance move and always look happy don’t show the hours put into learning the moves or the struggles with body image they may have off-camera. The guys that make hilarious content might not be as happy as they seem. The viewers don’t know anything about the people they watch except what the users choose to show.

Just like other popular social media platforms, TikTok’s users have to be careful with what they put on the internet and who they allow to see it. Some of the comments on users’ videos are extremely negative. A popular feature is dueting another user’s video. This feature is often used to make fun of the other user, causing more people to see the negative aspects of a video. The popularity that people may receive from TikTok is also something to be careful with, for it’s simply from an app. This app will most likely fade out within the next few years. The likes and comments that a video receives can also be hurtful to the creators if they get too caught up in the numbers and words.

It is also important to be careful with who one chooses to watch on TikTok. The videos that violate the terms of use are supposed to be taken down, but it’s not possible for TikTok to catch everything and in a timely manner. This means that there may be videos on the app that show inappropriate content, and just because someone doesn’t follow an account with this content, doesn’t mean they can completely avoid it. There is no way to control what one sees on the For You page, so a video may pop up that could show something that may affect the viewer in a negative manner.

TikTok may seem like a harmless app used to watch and make fun, entertaining videos, but its potential for negativity and false personas make the app something to be wary of.

TikTok is good!

Everyone is raving about TikTok. The app was launched in 2017 but recently exploded in popularity over the past year with 1.5 billion downloads. This app is definitely a fan favorite and can have people swiping for hours at a time.

The most hyped-up people on TikTok right now call themselves the “Hype House”. Hype House is a group of teenagers who all live together and make videos. The most popular name from the Hype House is Charli D’amelio, she has over 28 million followers. Her popularity has led to many opportunities for her and her friends, the most recent being their chance to go to the NBA All-Star game.

Our generation is all about creating new opportunities for individuals to be themselves and make something out of who they are. TikTok is a platform where users can express themselves however they want with support from the world. Some people may say we don’t need more social media out there, but this platform is a way anyone can start making a living or get discovered. Even though it is rare, for some people it is their way to provide for themselves or their families. TikTokers launch their careers on this app. Singers and dancers get discovered by posting their covers of songs. By getting a lot of views or likes you can make money. In many ways, this is a business that appeals to our generation.

Every social media app has negative people, but so does this world and we aren’t ever going to get rid of the people trying to slow us down or be rude. There are more people lifting up others and hyping you up in the comments than ones that are being negative.