The Tik Tok app is the newest and hottest platform getting the younger generation more involved in social media than ever before. Tik Tok has gotten to a point where people cannot go anywhere without seeing someone interacting with the app. The app is just not that entertaining, but can be very addicting because of its format and the culture around social media.

The addictive nature of the app can be traced back to Tik Tok’s format. The content is formatted so it is easily digestible and interactive. This is caused by how videos are automatically replayed as well as having the simple scroll down option to go to the next video. This creates no delay between one video and the next, allowing for no time to move off the app. The app is very interactive which feeds into the addictive nature of the site by the easy access to similar content that a person may enjoy through their For You Page (FYP). This is known as “the algorithm” on most other social media platforms. Instagram has its explore page which recommends posts similar to other posts a person likes. YouTube has its recommended page which recommends videos similar to ones users have previously watched. What sets Tik Tok apart from these other sites is that Tik Tok uses this algorithm as their driving factor for keeping users engaged on their site. Other sites are able to rely on community engagement and social interaction, but Tik Tok is solely the consuming and producing of content in a loop.

The culture of social media is the main reason why Tik Tok has been able to find such major success. Social media has become less about the sharing of information, but the dopamine rush and rush of endorphins from the likes and shares that users receive from each other. Trends such as the “renegade dance” have run rampant and trends like this one will not soon stop. Trends are caused like this because once a popular trend comes out, everyone wants to follow on that trend to put their own spin on it or make their own in some way in order to get the likes and shares.

Tik Tok’s surge in popularity comes as no surprise. The app contains all the elements that social media uses to suck people in. People need to be careful of the amount of social media they consume and stop tik tokking everywhere. If I see one more person do the renegade dance...