TikTok is a video-sharing platform that allows users to create, collaborate on, and share

authentic, inspirational, and creative short-form videos with music, filters, and other features on any topic.
Since its launch, its popularity has been growing tremendously. It was through recommendations from
friends and other social media sites that I became aware and introduced to it. I was first hesitant to join
the discourse community, but the epidemic led me to do so, and it eventually became a source of
entertainment and leisure for me. It is estimated to have 1 billion monthly active users throughout the
world, making it one of the largest and most popular social media platforms. It forms an essential part of
creating and connecting a rich and diverse community in which individuals are free to express their
passion, thoughts, and ideas through their videos. Despite being a worldwide app, it has focused on
localized, personalized, and categorized content, which is why the community has subcommunities that
reflect the breadth of content and platform for discourse that goes beyond entertainment, music,
motivation, and politics.
Hashtags are a popular convention in TikTok and it helps users to classify their content, making it
simpler and easier to categorize and discover for others. Featured videos that the app has chosen to
highlight based on the user’s previous interactions (I.e., likes, shares, comments) and followings play
automatically in the For You Page (FYP). This platform underlines inclusivity and although it may be a
bit of a head-scratcher for older generations, it has truly slain it when it comes to engaging with the
younger audience who are the primary users of the app. The different TikTok trends present an interesting
perspective into the youth's communication practices that include anything from dances to songs and
gestures to sound snippets and slang words that infiltrate the youth’s, as well as the adult's specialized
language and jargon.
Being a part of TikTok is a fun and engaging way to remain connected with each other because of
its interface and functionality that are user-friendly. TikTok is a platform that serves as an avenue for
users like myself to stay informed about current events in both social and global issues. Apart from
providing pleasure, it exposes me to a variety of opinions, some of which are completely contradictory to
my own, prompting me to reflect on and evaluate my own beliefs and values. It encourages me to
consider the bigger picture and broaden my perspective. On the one hand, despite my inadequate
experience as a content creator, I have already tried recording unreleased TikTok videos. It was then that I
realized that creating content is not meant for me; nevertheless, because I partake in liking, sharing, and
expressing thoughts on the posts on my FYP, I am considered a member of the discourse community.
References:
Geyser, W. (2021). What is TikTok? – The Fastest Growing Social Media App Uncovered. Influencer
Marketing Hub. Retrieved from https://influencermarketinghub.com/what-is-tiktok/#toc-0
Mlot, S. (2021). TikTok [Photo]. PCMag Asia. Retrieved from
https://sea.pcmag.com/social-media/42416/tiktok-rolls-out-qa-feature-for-everyone
Clark, M. (2021). TikTok [Photo]. The Verge. Retrieved from
https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/21/22543935/tiktok-jumps-video-apps-recipes-expanded-
functionality-rollout