The novelty of TikTok has worn off

Sadly, I’m one of the 170 million American users on TikTok, so when the doors shut for the app, I was having horrific withdrawals. On my free time, I tend to go down TikTok rabbit holes that consist of book recommendations, all things beauty, skincare and lifestyle.

But as I was doing some thinking about TikTok, I did realize that the application does need some modifications in order to be safer for everyone.

When time was quite literally ticking for the application, I was in denial. I didn’t think that one big switch would change everything for a grand span of almost 14 hours. Can I live without TikTok? Absolutely. I’m not making dramatics like some X (formerly known as Twitter) users that were telling people to get all forms of identifications on hand. I didn’t bother saving any of my TikToks. I was a firm believer, that I, the captain was going down with the ship. (I only have one video with like 200 likes, so am I really losing anything?)

I do see both the dangers the application poses, not so much security, but more so comprehension skills and the false news. Whether we realize it or not, our phones already contain a lot of information about us. We’re essentially training them each and every day when we perform basic tasks like placing an online order, so when my TikTok feed conveniently shows me the shoes I was thinking about buying doesn’t scare me, but what is horrifying is my basically nonexistent attention span.

I cannot tell you the last time I’ve sat through an entire YouTube video. Because why bother to sit through a 10 minute video when you can get the answer for a grand total of 50 seconds on TikTok? I absolutely hate this about myself, so despite being reunited with TikTok, I plan to work on not consuming short media.

Another fatal flaw that I think the app poses is the fake news that it sometimes pushes onto my For You Page (FYP). I personally do fact check the content I’m viewing, but I know this isn’t necessarily applied to social media and its users. This can become a great danger because it allows people to essentially push whatever agenda they want. I remember that a friend was once trying to tell me that a celebrity had passed away based on a TikTok, and it turned out to be false, so that’s where I believe we could have some issues.

Despite its flaws, I think TikTok is a great way for people to earn extra income or share what they love. I’ve seen incredibly creative individuals on the app. Food creators, in particular, have changed the way I approach cooking. Take Emily Mariko, for instance, who has elevated the concept of a simple salmon bowl. Her method of reheating rice with an ice cube and covering it with parchment paper blew my mind—and clearly the minds of millions of others.

TikTok, for all its faults, is also a hub for inspiration for many people. I don’t think its an evil platform out to get everyone, it just may just need to reconsider making some adjustments. We may never reach a perfect middle ground with TikTok. Like anything else, we should use it in moderation and work toward improvements where needed.