by Bernadette Toh
When you think of TikTok, you think of dancing clips, reaction videos and ridiculous storytelling squashed into a short minute. You think of your uni mates, even teenagers.
It’s a platform predominantly used by us, the younger generation. There was even a time when anyone beyond their mid-twenties was, horrifyingly so, deemed too old for the app.
But TikTok has become a family affair.
Tonnes of videos feature family members of TikTokers, including millennials who have hopped onto the app to create and share their own content.
TikTok’s influence has bled into everyday life, so much so that parents are now asking their children: “What is TikTok?”
Now, your parents might have already posed this question to you. Or if they haven’t, expect it to come sometime soon.
And while we might be well-versed in using the app, explaining it is just the slightest bit tricky, because where do we even begin?
1. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CLOCKS
Okay, I know what you are thinking – duh.
While it’s glaringly obvious to us, our parents might actually think it’s spelt “Tick Tock”. And, well, they are not entirely wrong, because TikTok was apparently named this way as a reference to the snappiness of its videos, much like the ticking of a clock.
Apart from its love of bite-sized clips, TikTok is also known for being a “vertical video platform”, which differentiates it from other social media apps such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. TikTok’s never-ending scroll of videos is also different from the mostly photo-based Instagram, text-based Twitter and multimedia-based Facebook.
And it’s a far cry from YouTube’s horizontally framed clips. Vertical videos often express the run-and-gun vlogging style. They are also much shorter, averaging 30 seconds to a minute, as compared to the typical 15-minute or even longer YouTube clips. We often see people film TikToks in the car or while they are walking about as they recount their day.
Many TikTok influencers also started out as ordinary students or people. Coupled with the presentation format, TikTok promotes a sense of relatability that makes many influencers on the app so likeable and relatable.
This also makes TikTok addictive, with its shorter clips capturing our attention easily. If your parents chide you about your social media usage, introduce them to TikTok. Chances are, they will get hooked on it enough not to nag at you anymore.
2. TIKTOK IS OUR NEW GOOGLE
Crazy? I know. But TikTok is a paradise of knowledge, shared by millions of people all across the world. With a plethora of how-to guides, such as how to take better iPhone photos, or how to dish up a new egg recipe, or even how to budget your week, TikTok is the place to go.
We can all agree that some things are just so much easier to learn when visuals and audio come hand in hand to walk you through the steps. Handy hashtags like #fitness or #finances become our quick search method to find TikTok experts on the matter. I have certainly learnt how to look less like a fashion disaster using #fashion.
Have a question? Want the news? Just TikTok it.
(And yes, aunties can also search up edits of TikTok’s CEO to swoon over!)
The best part is, TikTok is packed with both crash courses and entertainment, and its unique algorithm keeps bringing you the stuff you want to see.
Some videos have beauty filters, funny facial distortions or visual aids overlaying video clips. We’ve seen countless TikToks where parents are shocked when they see a filter applied, usually as a prank by their children.
Yet, don’t be surprised to find boomers and grandparents who have aced trends like the #wesanderson aesthetic.
3. PARENTS, YOU CAN BE TIKTOK-FAMOUS TOO
Fame is, well, technically just a click away.
Some parents have blown up on the internet. On TikTok, we see people posting their parents in videos, with some encouraging young people to ask their folks to share their life stories. The “Material Girl” trend that caught on earlier this year overlays pictures of parents in their younger days with Madonna’s 1984 hit song, and got many swooning over unearthed photos of Mum and Dad looking unexpectedly like catalogue models back in the day. (Speaking of music, an integral part of TikTok trends is the use of popular hits, audio clippings from movies, or soundbites from another TikTok video – all for free.)
Young people do want to hear advice and the experiences of older people; I have seen countless videos of people sharing parenting tips or advice on how to navigate workplace politics.
The plus side to becoming TikTok-famous? Getting paid to be a TikToker. With more brands – from food to apparel – turning to TikTok influencers to market their products and services, mum- and dad-influencers with killer content stand to gain from their side hustle. Top TikTok influencers in Singapore with more than 100,000 followers reportedly earn anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per sponsored post.
Nice.
4. IT’S A COMMUNITY – JUST ONE SPREAD ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE
With how vastly connected TikTok is, hearing someone share a relatable experience just makes us feel less alone. When we see students miles away overcome the same struggles we face in school, we are inspired to push through our own challenges. When we are discouraged by setbacks, we find comfort and joy in funny videos and memes made by others.
In a way, TikTok doesn’t make us detached from life – it helps us connect with those around us.
Making TikToks also helps us bond. Roping in our friends to make a TikTok reel can be a fun activity. Most videos can be made really quickly, especially if they are spur-of-the-moment creations. Including filming and editing, most TikToks take just 10 minutes to create.
As no one has ever said: “When inspiration strikes, make TikToks about it.”
5. THE TLDR OF IT…
TikTok is far from perfect, and can be confusing to those unfamiliar with the way such social media platforms work. But it brings people together, and it sustains us in these crazy times.
After all, it’s basically Facebook for a new generation.
HEY! STUDENT WRITER
Bernadette loves storytelling, from books to films to documentaries. In her free time, she hunts for the best teh peng in town.
This story was published in the Jul-Aug 2023 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
