At this point I think most of us have at least seen a Tik Tok video, if not made a few cringey ones. Contrary to many non-Tik Tok users’ beliefs, Tik Tok is more than just shirtless 15 year olds flipping their hair in slow motion. Shocking, I know. People have called it “ the new vine,” however, I think comparing it is a shame. The app incorporates many features of vine and musically, but also adds a new twist. There is so much that can be said with one short video of a girl surrounded by text boxes lip singing “these boys ain’t sh*t.” Some of the main charms of Tik Tok are the punchlines which appear at the end of the videos. There is something exciting about not being able to anticipate the ending. Those of us who have Tik Tok know the struggle of opening the app and suddenly having three hours pass by in what seems like three minutes. Tik Tok is 100% addictive; let me show you why.
First of all, Tik Tok uses the location on your phone to adapt the content on your search/for you page. For example, when I was in Florida there were surprisingly many videos about fishing. By using the location on your phone, Tik Tok tries to find relatable content based on your surroundings. I can personally attest that this was very successful as the fish videos were very entertaining.
Third, Tik Tok does not only know your location but it also tracks your activity. This might sound creepy, but really what it means is that you are recommended more videos that suit you. My search page is for example filled with videos about the bachelor and gossip girl. It is such a great feeling to find a video which perfectly sums up how you feel about why Nate and Serena should have ended up together.
