BY: GABRIELA PEARSON
When TikTok first came out, I didn’t understand the hype. How could anyone spend hours at a time just watching people dance? It wasn’t until lockdown that I finally caved in, and I became hooked. Whether I had just woken up or was waiting for a zoom class to start, I was sucked into the world of Timothee Chalamet edits and random things that just make sense. It was my drug. But just like any drug, it had some pretty nasty side effects.
For starters, as much as TikTok could be a creative, lighthearted space, it could be a very cruel one as well. The line between playful teasing and straight-up cyberbullying was regularly crossed; people would write hurtful comments to creators for not sharing the same political opinions, while others would mock strangers in public by taking videos of them without their consent.
Another thing that didn’t sit well with me were the “what I eat in a day” videos where people (mainly influencers) would post every meal they ate throughout the day. Some of them seemed like balanced meals, but several of them promoted unsustainable standards, like drinking a single green juice for breakfast or not eating anything between meals. My relationship with my body was already pretty fragile when I downloaded the app, and these videos only made it worse.
Although I never posted anything, I felt a strong connection to the culture inside the app. However, by being on TikTok I felt like I needed to be another person in order to be liked and accepted. I finally realized the damage that had been done, and I knew it was time for this app to go. It’s been more than a year since I got rid of the app and I’ve never been better. So long, time sucker!