The viral app, Tik Tok, has enabled users to create short videos using audio from popular songs and allowed a variety of users to be recognized for talents or comedy. According to Ella Pazuchowski ‘23, people downloaded Tik Tok shortly after it was created and associated with being a joke, but as its popularity grew, more people joined and its content became addicting.

“It’s addicting. Everyone gets it as a joke but it’s hard to stop scrolling through the videos. They are so good and so funny.” Pazuchowski said. 

Biz Leonard ’21 likes the app because it has allowed her to be recognized for her content, and for her to gain more popularity for her account as she continues to make videos for her followers and fans.

“It’s not hard to create content, but it’s hard to stay relevant. Especially if you have a tough audience for they don’t like your sense of humor.”  Leonard said. “Looks too, people prefer the boys for obvious reasons but that’s also what makes it hard to stay relevant.”

On the other hand, students such as Maria Liburdi ’22 would agree that Tik Tok isn’t worth the attention that it has gained over the past year, and that teenagers can find better content on different social media platforms.

“I think its kind of pointless and dumb, people are getting viral and attention for doing absolutely nothing.” Liburdi said. 

However, the hundreds of millions of users on Tik Tok would disagree. According to Leonard, the app is still lots of fun for users who create videos, watch them, or do both. 

“It makes me and others feel good knowing others like and think their content is funny.” Leonard said.

Like any social media app, Tik Tok has a great number of “trolls”, or people who like to degrade others as their form of comedy. Mean comments can really destroy self-esteem and have a very negative impact on someone.

“Offensive comments or degrading opinions about girls are definitely one of the negatives on Tik Tok.” Liburdi said. “Everyone saying the type of girls that are hot and what features they need to have which is really degrading.”

Because the majority of users on Tik Tok are young adults and teenagers, it’s important to respect their content before sharing, whether you may like it or not. Being impulsive or posting something inappropriate could not only get someone banned but could ruin a user’s reputation–like any social media.

 “It’s okay to enjoy the app but make sure to be careful what you post and say because you could get yourself in a bad situation.” Liburdi said.