Teens Addicted to TikTok Essay Example

📌Category: Addiction, Entertainment, Health, Social Media
📌Words: 834
📌Pages: 4
📌Published: 27 January 2022

Social media has been around for awhile now, but a new platform has arose within the past year and a half. Tiktok, formally known as Musically, is a social media platform that allows users to share, create and discover videos. Many people all around the world, ranging from all different ages are on this platform. Although, lot of people tend to believe TikTok is addicting due to the unlimited amount of 15 second videos, research shows that it is actually because of the TikTok algorithm, freshness of new content and the benefits and easiness to go viral. Tiktok is made to draw you in by the good content, which is supercharged by the algorithms which allow users to have endless amount of content that is specialized for them (Ohlheiser #53). 

Around 1 billion people are active users on TikTok each month which means everyone's content can range from funny videos, to daily news reports. Tiktok uses a tool called an “Algorithm” to keep people engaged and give them content designed for each and every user. Algorithms basically work like a math problem, they take data and give you a personalized outcome. One way your algorithm is affected, is by how long you watch a video. The longer you watch a video, the faster TikTok is to put similar content into your feed to keep you engaged more (Freeman). Having videos that you love on your “For You” page automatically draws you in closer. TikTok’s algorithm is impressively accurate with placing the right videos of peoples “For You” page. This platform is so attachable due to the science and technology behind the app. In fact, this social media platform uses advanced AI algorithms to really dive into the users preferences (Taulli). According to Christina Newberry, a writer for Hootsuite, “The algorithm is a key reason social networks can draw us in and keep us paying attention.” The technology behind TikToks algorithm is way different from others and for that reason, its way more addictive than any other social media platform. 

There are new trends on TikTok everyday. I mean who doesn’t love to be kept up to date on new trends. TikTok does a great job with allowing people to have easy access to the freshness of new content. There is always a new dance, a new joke, and a new trend. You will never see the same videos due to the fact that people are always posting new content. The app is so successfully to the fact that they have so many active users. This social media platform doesn't even make you have to search for trending videos, they automatically pop up on your “For You” page (“Why Is TikTok So Addictive (Crazy Facts You Must Know)”. Access to fresh new trendy content draws teenagers in even more. Tiktok updates all the time and your “For You” page is filled with new videos everyday. Tom Taulli, a writer for Forbes, states “People are looking for different outlets and options to express themselves and connect with others on social media and TikTok makes it easy. You really don't have to search to find the content or people at all, it's right there” (Taulli). 

Most teens and even young adults would love to be viral and want to be on “trend”. The algorithm does the job for allowing anyone to go viral which is why people get addicted. Most TikTok users are younger, which means they are  a lot more naive and impressionable, this is a huge benefactor to the attachment to the app (Medium). The more you post, the more you get intrigued, waiting for likes and trying to keep up with new trends. Anyone can go viral, for anything at anytime. A domino affect can be created by posting, waiting for likes, getting those likes and posting again. People endlessly create videos in hopes of one goes viral, once one does, a trend starts to happen, this type of trend feeds into the addictiveness of TikTok (Marx). Going viral on tiktok has its perks, some people get brand deals and some become full time content creators. TikTok actually has a creator fund for viral users. This fund allows users to get paid a certain amount of money per view. Getting paid to do what you love is a huge win. To be in this fund you first have to have a certain amount of followers, this creates the need to post a ton and use the app way more. Therefore, the creator fund leads to an attachment to the platform as well.  I mean who wouldn’t want to just make videos all day long, instead of a 9-5 job. Since TikTok allows anyone to go viral, plus the perks of becoming an internet sensation, people are addicted to the never ending cycle of posting videos all the time.  

Many users all over the world have talked about their addictiveness with TikTok, most people became addicted during the global pandemic. There are many social factors like trends and memes that contribute to the ongoing addictiveness to the social media platform. Some may consider being attached to a social media platform is a problem and some may not. Many users are trying to figure out how and why this platform is so addicting. After all, it can be caused by algorithm, freshness of new content and the easiness to go viral.

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