TikTok is a short-form video sharing app that has exploded in popularity among youth in recent years. The app was launched in 2016 by ByteDance in China as Douyin, and later introduced to international markets in 2017 under the TikTok name. Since then, TikTok has seen meteoric growth, becoming one of the most downloaded apps in the world. As of 2023, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users globally, with over 100 million users in the United States alone (source).
A key part of TikTok’s success has been its popularity among young people, especially teenagers and young adults. Over 50% of TikTok’s global users are under the age of 34, and over 30% are between the ages of 10 and 19 (source). TikTok’s fun, entertaining short videos, along with features like duets and stitches, resonate strongly with youth culture. This has led it to become a highly addictive platform that occupies a significant portion of young people’s screen time and attention.
Benefits
TikTok can provide surprising benefits for teenagers. Research has shown it allows self-expression and creativity in a judgment-free environment (The surprising benefits of TikTok for teenagers | The Lighthouse, 2023). On TikTok, teens can express themselves through singing, dancing, comedy, and other creative formats without fear of bullying or criticism from peers. This gives teenagers an outlet to build confidence and explore their identities.
Additionally, the short video format rewards creativity over more superficial factors like popularity or attractiveness. Teens with passion and talent can gain large followings regardless of their place in the high school social hierarchy. This levels the playing field and allows more diverse voices to be heard. TikTok’s algorithmic feed also exposes teenagers to content and creators they may not encounter elsewhere. This can build empathy and broaden worldviews.
While concerns about TikTok are valid, it provides a unique creative outlet and confidence boost for many teenagers. With proper digital literacy education, parents can help teens maximize these benefits and avoid potential downsides.
Harms
One major concern surrounding TikTok is the potential harms it poses for youth mental health. There is evidence that the app can expose teens to inappropriate or disturbing content and experiences. According to a Guardian article, the TikTok algorithm is designed to keep users engaged, which can result in impressionable youth seeing content related to self-harm, risky challenges, misinformation, and more before they are ready. This constant stream of inappropriate content can normalize harmful behavior.
Additionally, cyberbullying is widespread on the app. The anonymity afforded by the platform allows users to easily target and harass others. This is especially concerning given research showing a correlation between social media use, cyberbullying, and suicidal ideation among youth. TikTok has introduced some measures to curb bullying, but many experts argue it is still rampant and poses a serious threat to young users’ mental health and safety.
Addiction
One of the biggest concerns about TikTok is that it can be addictive, especially for young users. The endless scroll feature makes it easy to get lost scrolling through videos for hours on end. TikTok’s algorithm is designed to keep you engaged by showing you content that you are most likely to enjoy and interact with. This creates a constant need for validation through likes and comments. The dopamine hits from notifications make the app hard to put down.
Studies have found that teens spend an average of 80 minutes per day on TikTok alone. The constant novelty and stimulation make it difficult to stop scrolling. Youth get caught in an addictive loop of watching, liking, and commenting. Each new video presents a chance for more social validation. This can become compulsive, with teens feeling like they need to check the app constantly throughout the day.
TikTok addiction can lead to negative effects like lack of sleep, loss of interest in other hobbies, and decreased academic performance. Parents should monitor time spent on the app and teach healthy social media habits. Setting screen time limits and scheduling no-phone zones can help counteract addictive patterns.
Effects on Self-Esteem
TikTok can have negative effects on users’ self-esteem, especially among young people. The constant comparisons to others facilitated by the app’s algorithm can lead to feelings of inadequacy. A 2022 study found that 59% of young TikTok users reported reduced self-esteem from using the app. Social comparison theory explains how comparing oneself to others impacts self-evaluation. When young people see curated, edited content from influencers and peers, they tend to compare themselves negatively. This can diminish self-worth and trigger body image issues.
The editing features on TikTok allow users to enhance their appearance and hide imperfections. A study by the University of London found that 90% of women edit photos before posting. The proliferation of idealized and artificial beauty standards can make viewers feel inadequate about their own appearance. These negative comparisons happen unconsciously but accumulate over time to lower self-esteem.
Effects on Sleep
Late night scrolling on TikTok can significantly disrupt normal sleep patterns and lead to sleep deprivation. A 2022 sleep study by mattressreview.com (https://bestmattress-brand.org/tiktok-sleep-study/) found that the majority of frequent TikTok users go to bed later and get fewer hours of sleep compared to non-users. The auto-playing videos and algorithmic recommendations make it extremely easy to lose track of time. What starts off as mindlessly scrolling before bed can quickly turn into hours spent consuming content. The constant novelty and entertainment provided by the endless stream of short videos activates the brain and makes it difficult to relax.
Many TikTok users report staying up well past their desired bedtime mesmerized by videos (https://www.reddit.com/r/sleep/comments/kafmk5/tik_tok_instead_of_sleeping/). The sleep deprivation caused by TikTok can impair focus, productivity, and emotional regulation. Establishing a pre-bedtime cutoff for TikTok usage and practicing good sleep hygiene habits can help counteract these disruptive effects.
Data Privacy
One of the biggest concerns surrounding TikTok is the app’s data privacy practices and allegations about how user data is handled. TikTok collects a tremendous amount of sensitive personal information on its users, including browsing and search history, location data, device and connection information, cookies and unique identifiers, and metadata from user-generated content.1 Much of this data collection happens behind the scenes without user knowledge or control.
There are concerns that this data could be accessed and misused by the company, third parties, or government entities. TikTok is owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, which leads some experts to fear the Chinese government could pressure ByteDance to share user data or censor content.2 These fears have prompted bans of the app by some countries and U.S. states.
TikTok claims it stores U.S. user data in the U.S. and Singapore and does not share it with China, but security experts say the app could still theoretically access and export data.3 Overall, TikTok’s voracious data harvesting coupled with limited transparency raises alarming questions about user privacy.
1 https://registerforum.org/19096/news/tiktoks-data-privacy-concerns-spark-global-debate/
2 https://www.klove.com/news/tech-science/tiktok-data-privacy-concerns-explained–incredible-amounts-of-personal-information-accessed-41162
3 https://thescif.org/tiktoks-data-privacy-concerns-entices-bans-4fe2d962283f
Influencer Culture
While many influencers aim to spread positive messages, some portray a lifestyle that skews far from reality. With curated and edited content presenting perfection, young people can feel pressure to meet unrealistic standards (Social Media Influencers’ Impact on Youth Today, 2023). Teens may develop issues like low self-esteem, anxiety, and eating disorders when comparing themselves to the flawless images influencers portray (The impact of social media influencers on young minds, 2023). However, others argue influencers provide inspiration and promote self-acceptance among youth (How Does Tiktok Influence Teenagers?, 2023). Overall, the impact influencers have depends on their messaging, but unrealistic standards can negatively affect youth.
Stranger Interactions
One of the potential dangers of TikTok is the ability for strangers to interact with and contact young users. This opens the door for inappropriate conduct such as grooming and inappropriate messaging. According to https://www.tiktok.com/discover/Stranger-danger-big-head-guy, TikTok has been used by strangers with bad intentions to contact underage users. The same thing applies to TikTok’s direct messaging feature which enables communication with strangers.
Parents and guardians should be vigilant about monitoring who their children are interacting with on the app. TikTok does have some safety features like restricting messages and comments from strangers, but predators find ways around these barriers. Overall, the open nature of the platform means young users can be exposed to inappropriate contact from strangers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, TikTok has had both positive and negative impacts on today’s youth. On the positive side, TikTok provides entertainment, allows self-expression, and helps teens connect. The short videos can expose users to diverse content and perspectives. On the negative side, TikTok can be addictive, harm self-esteem, disrupt sleep, raise privacy concerns, promote influencer culture, and expose teens to inappropriate interactions.
While TikTok itself is not inherently good or bad, how youth engage with it determines the effects. When used moderately and critically, TikTok can provide unique benefits. But excessive, passive use carries risks, especially for younger teens. Overall, TikTok’s rapid growth underscores the need for discussions between parents and teens about balanced media use and online safety.
