For the longest time, we've always treated TikTok as solely Gen Z property. However, ever since the quarantines happened, my little sister (who's 18 now) noticed an influx of TikTok users in their early-mid 20s and even some in their mid-to-late 20s, basically young millennials and cuspers. This might be anecdotal, but perhaps it's worth discussing.

Is the quarantine dragging such people into TikTok out of boredom?

For the longest time, we've always treated TikTok as solely Gen Z property. However, ever since the quarantines happened, my little sister (who's 18 now) noticed an influx of TikTok users in their early-mid 20s and even some in their mid-to-late 20s, basically young millennials and cuspers. This might be anecdotal, but perhaps it's worth discussing.

Is the quarantine dragging such people into TikTok out of boredom?


It could be that this is the natural progression of things, if Facebook is any example. When it was new, Facebook was primarily populated by young people. They eventually migrated away to other social media and now Facebook is pretty much all middle aged people and beyond.  Maybe the quarantine is speeding up this process with TikTok.

I thought tiktok was dumb at first but then I kept seeing TikToks reposted onto other sites like Reddit and they were pretty funny, so I caved in. My 48 year old mother watches tiktoks all the time lol.

I thought tiktok was dumb at first but then I kept seeing TikToks reposted onto other sites like Reddit and they were pretty funny, so I caved in. My 48 year old mother watches tiktoks all the time lol.
Same  ;D

TikTok's massive now, and even more so because of people being forced to stay home (and the high-profile legal feuds), so yeah, the app appeals to everyone.

TikTok's massive now, and even more so because of people being forced to stay home (and the high-profile legal feuds), so yeah, the app appeals to everyone.
...everyone, not me?

I'm someone who still hasn't got a TikTok and is content with it; I'm also Gen Z too. Mostly because I think it's 2010s junk (even though it existed only from 2016) and because I'd envy the users on there too (even thinking of quitting Tumblr almost for good in small part because of this). Unlike other social media, I have to see content first before deciding whether I like it or not. I prefer to avoid content I don't even want to see altogether. Even under the potential MS influence this would change little about my impressions of the social network, and putting it under MS influence would do nothing to relieve my privacy and other politically related concerns of the platform.

Also regardless of host nation TikTok is still terrible with privacy:
https://tutanota.com/blog/posts/problem-with-tiktok/
Should have posted this in the relevant thread but I don't really wish to discuss this at length. I'm not exactly a privacy freak but I don't want big companies getting away with their crap.

God, I hope not. TikTok is just as bad for us as Facebook.

If my avatar didn't make it obvious I got Tiktok a couple of months ago. I wish someone told me it was more like YouTube instead of "social media". The videos people make are hillarious. It reminds me of early YouTube with the creative short clips.

If my avatar didn't make it obvious I got Tiktok a couple of months ago. I wish someone told me it was more like YouTube instead of "social media".


Does TikTok have videos of people lighting their flatulence on fire like YouTube does? ???

Does TikTok have videos of people lighting their flatulence on fire like YouTube does? ???


Probably. However, I'm not on that "side" of Tiktok. The app shows you videos it thinks you will like, and I guess the algorithm accurately predicted I wouldn't enjoy flaming flatulence videos.  :-X

If my avatar didn't make it obvious I got Tiktok a couple of months ago. I wish someone told me it was more like YouTube instead of "social media". The videos people make are hillarious. It reminds me of early YouTube with the creative short clips.


What do they exactly do on TikTok? ???

What do they exactly do on TikTok? ???


Make 15-60 second video clips. You hit like on videos you like, and it will show you videos similar to that. I hit like on videos that make me laugh, so I get more funny content. Other people use it for things like cooking videos, vacation videos or DIY videos, and other things.

What do they exactly do on TikTok? ???
Under the circumstances I do not wish to know.

For the longest time, we've always treated TikTok as solely Gen Z property. However, ever since the quarantines happened, my little sister (who's 18 now) noticed an influx of TikTok users in their early-mid 20s and even some in their mid-to-late 20s, basically young millennials and cuspers. This might be anecdotal, but perhaps it's worth discussing.

Is the quarantine dragging such people into TikTok out of boredom?
I hear now that there is a dodgy side to Tik-Tok?

Under the circumstances I do not wish to know.


I think everyone should try it before they knock it. The content on there is hilarious.

I think everyone should try it before they knock it. The content on there is hilarious.


Yes, but is it meaningful?

Yes, but is it meaningful?


I don't know, that's like asking if television or YouTube is meaningful. I mainly use it for laughs, and who doesn't like laughing?

A lot of people satirize their life situation, so in a way I did learn to see things from new perspectives.

I don't know, that's like asking if television or YouTube is meaningful. I mainly use it for laughs, and who doesn't like laughing?

A lot of people satirize their life situation, so in a way I did learn to see things from new perspectives.


Television and Youtube are a mixture of both the meaningful and the frivolous. What I am saying is we must be vigilant of too much frivolity or shallowness or we will have the 80s all over again. I know there are people here who were not yet born who worship the 80s, but I was actually there. Trust me, the popular culture could have stood a little more seriousness and/or depth.

Television and Youtube are a mixture of both the meaningful and the frivolous. What I am saying is we must be vigilant of too much frivolity or shallowness or we will have the 80s all over again. I know there are people here who were not yet born who worship the 80s, but I was actually there. Trust me, the popular culture could have stood a little more seriousness and/or depth.


That's what threw me off about the question. It can be as meaningful or frivolous as you want it to be.

I hear you on excessive frivolity though, and Instagram is a perfect example of it. It started off alright, being a photo editing app made for the artistic hipster type to help beautify photos of your artisanal coffee and whatnot. But after a few years being bought by Facebook, it quickly became an app of "influencers" trying to sell you Gucci bags and an impossible fitness lifestyle. Everything on it so artificial now, it feels like a luxury shopping website instead of a place that brings you closer to your friends. It's actually sad what Instagram has become.

That's what threw me off about the question. It can be as meaningful or frivolous as you want it to be.

I hear you on excessive frivolity though, and Instagram is a perfect example of it. It started off alright, being a photo editing app made for the artistic hipster type to help beautify photos of your artisanal coffee and whatnot. But after a few years being bought by Facebook, it quickly became an app of "influencers" trying to sell you Gucci bags and an impossible fitness lifestyle. Everything on it so artificial now, it feels like a luxury shopping website instead of a place that brings you closer to your friends. It's actually sad what Instagram has become.


And of course, let not anybody confuse "seriousness" or "depth" with "tragedy". Covid is a tragedy. We need humor and entertainment to cope, but we also need seriousness and depth and spirituality (the latter not to be confused strictly with "religion", although that can be fine too) all of which, in their own way, very much ease the burden.

And of course, let not anybody confuse "seriousness" or "depth" with "tragedy". Covid is a tragedy. We need humor and entertainment to cope, but we also need seriousness and depth and spirituality (the latter not to be confused strictly with "religion", although that can be fine too) all of which, in their own way, very much ease the burden.


I think Tiktok was made for entertainment, so I'm not going to fault it for lacking deep discussion in serious subject matters. I only use Tiktok for 10-20 minutes a day and go for a few days at a time without using it and I think that's a pretty typical use pattern, so I don't think it precludes more serious activities such as reading books or news articles about the virus.

Make 15-60 second video clips. You hit like on videos you like, and it will show you videos similar to that. I hit like on videos that make me laugh, so I get more funny content. Other people use it for things like cooking videos, vacation videos or DIY videos, and other things.


When I get a new camera I might try it out.

When I get a new camera I might try it out.


You don't need a camera. I never made a video myself, I don't even follow my friends on it. It's like YouTube, except with really short videos.

You don't need a camera. I never made a video myself, I don't even follow my friends on it. It's like YouTube, except with really short videos.


What exactly do you need?