About TikTok
The short-form video hosting site TikTok, also known as Douyin in China, is owned by the Chinese business ByteDance. Videos uploaded by users are hosted there, and they can be anything from 3 seconds to 10 minutes long.
The internationalized version of Douyin, TikTok, was introduced to the Chinese market in September 2016. Most markets outside of mainland China saw its 2017 iOS and Android launch; however, it wasn’t until 2 August 2018 that it merged with another Chinese social media service, Musical.ly, to become available globally.
Application growth
Since its debut, TikTok has become well-known all over the world. In the US, TikTok has been downloaded more than 130 million times, and there have been 2 billion downloads overall. TikTok achieved 2 billion mobile downloads globally in October 2020. The TikTok app was the most downloaded free app worldwide on January 23, 2018, according to app shops in Thailand and other nations. After Zoom and Peacock, Morning Consult ranked TikTok as the third-fastest growing brand of 2020. TikTok surpassed Google.com to become the most popular website of 2021, according to Cloudflare. TikTok announced in September 2021 that it has 1 billion users. TikTok generated $4 billion in advertising income in 2021. With the introduction of TikTok Shop in the United Kingdom, it was announced in October 2022 that TikTok planned to enter the American e-commerce industry. The company apparently intends to launch the new live shopping operation by the end of the year and has posted job postings for personnel for a number of order fulfillment facilities in the US.
Application features
Users of the TikTok mobile app may make short videos that can be sped up, slowed down, or enhanced with a filter. These videos frequently include music playing in the background. In addition to the background music, they can contribute their own audio. Users can select background music from a wide range of musical genres, edit with a filter, and shoot a short video clip with speed adjustments before posting it to TikTok or other social media sites to share with others. Also, they may record quick lip-sync videos of well-known songs.
The “react” feature of the app enables users to record a reaction to a particular video, which is then shown over it in a little window that can be moved about the screen. Users can record a video alongside another video using the “duet” feature of the app. Another unique element of musical.ly was the “duet” option. Also, in order to use the duet feature, both users must modify their privacy settings. Users have the option to store videos in their “drafts” until they are ready to post them. Users are permitted to view their “drafts” and post whenever they feel appropriate. Users of the app can designate their accounts as “private.” The user’s account is by default public when they initially download the program. The user’s settings allow them to switch to private. Private content is still accessible on TikTok but is hidden from individuals who have not been given permission to watch it. Every user, or just their “friends,” can connect with users through the app via comments, messages, “respond” or “duet” videos, according to the preferences of the user. Users also can set certain movies to either “public,” “friends only,” or “private” despite of whether the account is private or not.
Through direct texting, users can also send their friends videos, emojis, and texts. Moreover, TikTok offers a feature that allows users to make videos based on their comments. Influencers frequently employ the “live” function. Only users who are at least 16 years old and have 1,000 followers can use this feature. If the user is above 18, their followers can send them digital “gifts” that can be later turned into cash.
The “Virtual Objects” of “Small Gestures” feature is one of the newest as of 2020. This is based on social gifting, a widespread practice in China. Many beauty brands and companies have formed a TikTok account since this feature was enabled in order to use and promote it. The COVID-19 lockdown in the US has increased the popularity of social gifting. The campaign was started in response to the shutdown, a TikTok spokesman said, “to establish a sense of solidarity and encouragement among the TikTok community during these challenging times.”
In February 2020, TikTok announced a “Family Safety Mode” that would allow parents to monitor and manage their children’s online safety. Restricted mode, a screen time control feature, and the ability to cap the number of direct messages are all available.
In September 2020, the app updated the “Family Pairing” parental controls function to give parents and guardians access to educational materials to help them understand what their children are exposed to on TikTok. Internet Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to internet safety, helped produce the feature’s content.
A test feature enabling users to directly tip specific creators was introduced by TikTok in October 2021. A “Tip” button can be activated on a user’s profile if they are of legal drinking age, have at least 100,000 followers, and accept the rules. This allows followers to tip the user any amount, starting at $1, and the user must agree to the terms.
TikTok began beta-testing Live Studio in December 2021, a streaming platform that would allow users to broadcast programs running on their desktops, such as games. Also supported at launch, both Desktop and smartphone streaming. Users on Twitter, however, learned a few days later that the program purportedly makes use of code from the open-source OBS Studio. According to OBS, if TikTok wishes to use any code from OBS, it must make the source for Live Studio publicly available under the terms of the GNU GPL version 2.
TikTok unveiled TikTok Pulse, a scheme for sharing ad revenue, in May 2022. Only producers with more than 100,000 followers can access it, which only includes the “top 4% of all videos on TikTok”. 50% part of the money made from the commercials that are shown alongside the video will go to the creator who is eligible if their video enters the top 4%.
Effects to people
TikTok’s growth as a major social media platform forces us to consider what impact it has on society. TikTok has improved people’s lives in a variety of ways. It offers users a place to get information, unwind, and stay in touch with friends. Also, you get to witness how others who think very differently from you live their lives and learn about those ideas. You can broaden your thinking and views as a result.
Although TikTok offers users benefits, it’s crucial to be aware of the drawbacks as well. TikTok has been linked positively to mental problems, especially in young women, according to recent studies. Girls with thin, fit bodies may be seen in a lot of the videos on TikTok. These girls frequently flaunt their stringent exercise routines and restricted, nutritious diets. This causes viewers of these posts to feel as though they must adopt these routines if they want to “have a nice figure” as well. Several female users of the app also discuss their struggles with eating disorders and mental diseases. These subjects may inform you and demonstrate that others experience similar difficulties to your own, but they can also be extremely upsetting.
The social media site TikTok is used to share videos and host talent shows, comedy sketches, dance videos, and lip-sync films that can last anywhere from three seconds to a minute. There’s a good chance that many of you use or have at least heard of the app. With more than 850 million active users, TikTok is among the most well-known apps in the world.
TikTok has been criticized for psychological impacts including addiction, just like Facebook and the majority of other social media, as well as issues with inappropriate content, false information, censorship, moderation, and user privacy.
With this many users connected to one network, news, and trends can spread very quickly. This may have a significant effect on the world and the places from where people get their information. Donald Trump planned a rally for his presidential campaign in June of last year. Teens from TikTok learned about this and reserved thousands of tickets for the event, but they never showed up. This rocked the political landscape and gave Trump the idea to try to impose a ban on TikTok. Thousands of films urging people to vote and make a difference were posted on every user’s for-you page in the days before the election. The biggest voter turnout in 120 years occurred in 2020! On TikTok, there are entire US accounts like @conservativehypehouse and @liberalhypehouse that are solely dedicated to being a conservative or a liberal. The app has gradually assimilated into society and people’s lives, and now it is even starting to have an impact on politics.
Additionally, there are a plethora of ways that TikTok affects the economy. First of all, for some teenagers and young adults, maintaining a social media presence and platform has evolved into a full-time job. The most well-known case involves Charli Dámelio, a 16-year-old Connecticut resident. She started to gain popularity on TikTok near the end of 2019 and swiftly gained followers. Currently, Damelio’s Instagram account has more than 100 million followers. She reportedly earns over $4 million annually, which is really good for a youngster. Second, TikTok has had an enormous, unheard-of impact on the music business. In the backdrop of the majority of TikToks, a song may be heard. Because their song was featured on TikTok and they became famous solely for that one song, several musicians have been dubbed one-hit wonders. TikTok has had an impact on the careers of a number of artists, including PPCocaine (“3 Musketeers”), Lil Nas X (“Old Town Road”), and Ashnikko (“Stupid”). Last but not least, TikTok has a significant negative impact on businesses due to its strong influence on consumerism. For instance, the Aerie Crossover Leggings have been a popular trend in clothes recently on TikTok. These leggings sold out in less than 24 hours all over the United States and Canada when a girl wore them in a TikTok video.
TikTok has a significant impact on how modern society operates. There is a seemingly endless supply of films on the app, so it is impossible to become bored. Politics, economics, the music business, the concept of celebrity, and many other areas have all been impacted. It will be fascinating to watch how Tiktok develops and grows over time, as well as how its users do.
