Currently, the Chinese video app, “TikTok,” is one of the most popular platforms in the world, used especially by teens. With an average of 6 hours of usage per day, according to DataProt, “TikTok” plays an important role in many people’s lives, whether it is for the good or the bad. The many ‘’trends” in the app influence the behavior of teenagers and how music and culture are portrayed and popularized. With TikTok trends, music and artists can get really famous as it allows many fans to discover their favorite artists and their favorite songs. As more and more people use it, these trends spread quickly and can boost an artist’s career. Moreover, it drives people to think outside of the box and try new things outside of the app. It can influence users to try something new, like a recipe or a sport; however, it can lead to harmful activities. TikTok can brainwash people and influence them to try dangerous trends without any support or surveillance. Therefore, It is important to be mindful of how you will allow TikTok to influence your actions according to your health, beliefs, and values.
Nowadays, many singers seek opportunities to promote their work on TikTok since it is a creative platform that is used by millions of people who can create trends with a certain song. It spreads music, culture, and new possibilities to the whole world. TikTok newsroom states that “75% of TikTok users say they discover new artists through TikTok and 63% of TikTok users heard new music that they’ve never heard before on TikTok.” This means that TikTok is crucial in the music industry and spreads the possibility of new songs and opportunities for small and big artists. Not only that, the app also plays a major character in the movie industry; therefore, according to Screen Daily, “41% of global users said they looked up cinema times after discovering a new film on the social-media network; 26% went on to purchase a ticket.” Furthermore, the research presents an example of how a trend, with different users creating videos and songs, may affect the selling of movie tickets. That way, the evidence shows how profoundly TikTok can impact various aspects of life, from trends to actually changing industries, for instance, its impacts on the movie, music, dance, economic, and product industries, among others.
Furthermore, the platform became a temporary or even full-time job for many individuals in the younger generation. Due to this, users have been spending more and more time on the app, putting in actual effort, and investing in materials and resources to create creative and unique videos. However, the platform doesn’t directly pay creators to produce and post their work; on the other hand, it is a program that allows the connection of people in different parts of the world, so users can sell their merch to the fans, go live and gain “gifts,” which are amounts of money the fans can send their favorite video creators, or even partner with influencers and brands. Consequently, it is possible to maintain TikTok as a job, which has been a decision taken by many recently since the profession also provides entertainment for the creators. Although it’s available, it has its challenges, for example, the “hate” sent from many anonymous or identified accounts, judging or even acts of profanity directed to the influencers, and the instability it has, so a problem with the internet and spending some days without uploading videos can cause your account to be quickly overcome by new ones, or the fact the trends may change almost instantly, and something uploaded a few minutes ago can be overtaken by a new trend created almost simultaneously.
All things considered, TikTok is a very famous platform that deeply influences the life of teenagers nowadays, whether in a good or bad way. It can lead to the propagation of danger and hate as well as spreading love and humanitarian ideals. Above all, it is essential to notice the importance of maintaining a responsible usage of those types of apps and understand the impact of the content you are consuming.
