Tiktok has been an exploding platform since the rise in popularity beginning in 2019, with this exponential growth, millions of users flooded to the app, creating content that was unfiltered, monitored, and up for anyone’s opinion. This free market of social media integrated public perception, political and socially developmental opinions. There have been a lot of controversial topics, which are all available with a simple search on TikTok‘s algorithmic search engine. Anyone can find what they want and the topic they’re looking to learn more about with just a few taps. It’s the new unconventional way of learning more on the Internet. Tiktok has competed against Google in its search habits amongst its users, offering a wide variety of topics less accessible to the Internet users in contrast with those within the platform. This app has offered a space and given voice to those who often may not have been heard, basing its content on the viewer’s choice rather than filtered and organized algorithmic results.
With many users joining the app, and with this new plethora of information open to the public, there has been much controversy arising within the TikTok app and its usefulness regarding how the app functions for society. A lot of Americans and those who use the app disregard the news, and other outlets that typically relay information, creating a more well-rounded scope of the subject matter. With this new platform taking over the majority of users’ watch time, we are now facing the dilemma of how unfiltered is too much? Most users have the ability to create content, whatever they so choose. There is not much regulation regarding what a user decides to create as content, as well as who may be the recipient of such video topics.
Recently, there have been users who have created and uploaded videos in regards to how to hijack cars. The car in question, a Kia Hyundai. This has all started as a challenge, which encourages other users to share similar content in the same way, creating a series of closely related videos. The trend does encourage its watchers and users to steal a car by breaking into it. The how-to videos go into detail on how to hot-wire a car using a USB. Tiktok has the potential to reach millions of viewers, all ranging in age. The viewers who participated in this trend do include minors. Although there are a plethora of people who join in on this trend, anyone can really do it. It’s just a matter of what video comes across your “for you page “and how that video is received. There has been a surge of car thefts amongst Kia Hyundai drivers and the company doesn’t really know how to handle it. One can’t really gauge how far this will go, and if it’s more likely to happen to one demographic or the other. TikTok is a community of itself, bringing thousands of people together from all types of untypical demographics and parts of the world. While this may be for fun, it can quickly turn sour. The downside of this community platform is the lack of direction of where it’s headed. Nobody knows what Tiktok really is and the power it holds until it’s too late. The car insurance brands have decided to not cover the cost of these cars if such theft should occur, and its drivers have firmly advocated for a recall. The power of the people’s creativity should not be limited, but filtered. Posting a video is content in of itself. The video one decides to post is up to that individual, and although there should be repercussions for one’s actions, regulation of such intensity isn’t necessary. A lot of people want to take down the app and eliminate it at its source, but I believe that that is not the best route. People need a voice, and creating content has been the new modern version of creating art. It’s a way to express oneself, and join people together on a particular side of a conversation. Whether or not it gets taken out of context is out of the control of the big corporations and government. I believe a reform is needed, in relation to what we view, if it’s “okay” or not. A lot of the time the government does try and regulate us, but when we attempt to regulate ourselves punishment is around the corner. I look at the hypocrisy between societal regulation and individual regulation, and it needs to be further examined. Who are the artists when they aren’t confined? What defines a person if not what they create? These questions should be pondered upon and further evaluated if the efficacy is related to the potential deficit we may face as a result. Tiktok is a great platform, and it is not a crime. If a user does not want to see that type of content, there should be a filter to what one may be interested in, and block what might deter one’s attention. Sharing video content is not a crime, why make it one now? The world needs so much more regulations and changing of outdated laws, it’s time we reconsider what is of priority here.
Toni
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I think that TikTok needs to do better in regulating videos that incite violence. Videos like the ones showing people stealing Kia vehicles should be taken down because they could inspire kids to steal vehicles and endanger others on the road. Yes, I believe that people should be able to post what they want, but given that the platform is used by children as well, there should be some sort of regulation to help protect children from seeing videos that could corrupt them.
I think that TikTok needs to do better in regulating videos that incite violence or crime. Videos like the ones showing people stealing Kia vehicles should be taken down because they could inspire kids to steal vehicles and endanger others on the road. Yes, I believe that people should be able to post what they want, but given that the platform is used by children as well, there should be some sort of regulation to help protect children from seeing videos that could corrupt them.
The power and influence of TikTok ceases to amaze me every day. Reading this post reminded of the trend that went around some time ago where students would damage or steal things from their high school or middle school campus. It is trends like that and videos like the one mentioned in the post that really makes others compare the pros and cons to such influential social media platforms. Because although some TikTok trends have inspired some illicit behavior, the same platform has also been a prominent force in spreading important information and encouraging political and social involvement. While placing limits on what people can post can be problematic, I do think there should be some limits placed on what people can see, more specially adding some age restrictions on certain videos.
I believe that Tik Tok itself has good potential in keeping the public more aware of what’s going on around the world. The use of Tik Tok over Google makes sense because on Tik Tok people can get instant visual results on whatever they’re look for. The great part about this is that the Tik Tok videos are usually short so finding the answer to a search can be done faster. Additionally, I feel like Tik Tok allows people to express themselves and gives them a platform to speak their mind. Many of the times people will post how-to or DIY videos which can really help others out of common sense knowledge they might have never been exposed to by their surrounding environment. Therefore, Tik Tok has the potential to educate, spread awareness, and overall do good for the public. However, when people share ideas that are not so positive such as tips for stealing Kia Hyundai vehicles, we quickly want to regulate what others post to not have a theft problem going on. But I think it’s important to note the positive side of these kinds of Tik Toks. By spreading this information, more people can be informed of the increase in theft of these vehicles and might be able to look into ways to prevent theft for this car model. It’s ultimately up to the viewer and how they take in the information from Tik Toks. A person can process the information from these Tik Toks and decide to educate themselves or commit crime by using the information to steal these cars as well. However, I believe the idea to choose wrong over good is up to the person. A social platform should not be in the wrong for the information being published on their platform since they are simply passing along the message of the users who decide to express themselves.
I believe that Tik Tok itself has good potential in keeping the public more aware of what’s going on around the world. The use of Tik Tok over Google makes sense because on Tik Tok people can get instant visual results on whatever they’re look for. The great part about this is that the Tik Tok videos are usually short so finding the answer to a search can be done faster. Additionally, I feel like Tik Tok allows people to express themselves and gives them a platform to speak their mind. Many of the times people will post how-to or DIY videos which can really help others out on common sense knowledge they might’ve never been exposed to by their surround environment. Therefore, Tik Tok has the potential to educate, spread awareness, and overall do good for the public. However, when people share ideas that are not so positive such as tips for stealing Kia Hyundai vehicles, we quickly want to regulate what others post to not have a theft problem going on. But I think it’s important to note the positive side of these kinds of Tik Toks. By spreading this information, more people can be informed of the increase in theft of these vehicles and might be able to look into ways to prevent theft for this car model. It’s ultimately up to the viewer and how they take in the information from Tik Toks. A person can process the information from these Tik Toks and decide to educate themselves or commit crime by using the information to steal these cars as well. However, I believe the idea to choose wrong over good is up to the person. A social platform should not be in the wrong for the information being published on their platform since they are simply passing along the message of the users who decide to express themselves.
I agree with the author’s comments. Sharing video content is not a crime. Any platform can share videos. So do we need to have ins, YouTube, and all other sites that can share videos strictly regulated? There is no conflict between committing a crime and art, but there is nothing wrong with reasonable control of criminal content. For example, the author and the platform warn that the content is criminal for performance only. Also, this example of car theft warns car companies of the security risks at the same time.
I think that this article is a good defense of TikTok by showcasing the other uses and power that Tiktok has. I think that when it comes to crime, it should be charged to the individual. Instead of legally going against Tiktok for not regulating their platform, it should be charging the individual actions. Obviously there should be some oversight on Tiktok’s part where they look over the posts that have been uploaded.
There is just such a large spectrum of information that is allowed to be posted on tik tok that it is so hard ot regulate what exactly gets posted on the platform. I do agree there needs to be some type of restrictions but, it is hard when there is many different users and so much different content being posted. It is a great app that can teach you a lot but, sometimes it will be teaching you the wrong things.
The lack of regulation and guidelines surrounding what people can and cannot post to TikTok differ greatly to guidelines and regulation surrounding other video media platforms such as YouTube. It’s interesting to see an art form, as you mentioned, such as creating TikTok videos draws a thin line as well as a grey area between art and crime. Graffiti, for instance, while it is conspired vandalism, can be a beautiful artform and leaves its impression on people without any victims in its crime. However, these “creative” challenges on TikTok, like the carjacking one mentioned here, creates victims of crimes without any particular impact other than committing the crime itself.
TikTok is a platform that reaches millions of people worldwide. It creates a network of videos and users that makes it easy for trends to go viral. whether those trends are ethical or not is up to the viewer. I’ve seen hundreds of trends on TikTok but that doesn’t mean I do all of them. Yes, a video can influence someone’s thoughts; however, it’s the person’s decision to act on those thoughts. Therefore, criminal trends on TikTok are only trends because people choose to participate. I don’t think removing the whole app is the solution; filtering what videos certain age groups can see might be a better way to solve the problem.
Hello Toni, hope all is well with you. I really enjoyed reading your article. I thought it was interesting how you mentioned how Tik Tok is trying to compete with Google and other search engines for its search habits. The reason I thought this was interesting because Google has a filter in it’s algorithm to remove utterly false statements. However, Tik Tok’s filter of false news isn’t as severe therefore more false information is likely to spread on Tik Tok. It’s sad because everybody uses Tik Tok for amusement now. It’s so sad because I wonder if TIk Tok has increased the spread of false news.
You argue about how Tik Tok ahs impacted crime. However, you then talk about how creating content is art. I agree with this to an extent because I don’t think it’s art when everybody is creating the same content like following a dance, for example. It’s interesting because I believe that Tik Tok has a mind of its own and it caters to you, as an individual, which is why it’s so popular. It has such an impact on our culture which is why US Senators want it to be regulated. It is true that there are bigger priorities such as social justice issues that should be addressed. It’s interesting because tik tok is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms that can display these issues to initiate change. It makes one question both the positives and negatives of Tik Tok.