TikTok issue: Is it really helping or harming us ?

 TikTok is debatable? Why not other social media?

TikTok is one of the most popular social media now-a-days. People, those who use social media have both positive and negative influences on their social lives. But negative impact enormously increases at present when the users are teenagers. From adult male, female to teenage boys & girls those who have spare time after their academic time-span, engage themselves in various social media. TikTok is one of them. It has few positive and huge negative impacts at present in societies around the countries.

In September 2016, when TikTok started its journey; was an ordinary app. But eventually after only 2 years later in 2018, TikTok became the most downloadable app in USA. After only 2022, it became reached +3 billion downloads and the active users became +1 billion. This statistic shows its acceptancy in social media. Shou Zi Chew must be happy for its thriving performance as he is the CEO of this social media from 2021.

Apart from the other social media like Facebook, Twitter (recently, x.com), Instagram, etc. TikTok gets tremendous popularity in users, especially among teenagers. Though every social media has some positive and negative impacts in societies and over cultures, things are getting deteriorated enormously. Parents specially those teenagers who are madly using this app and tensed for this app.

Home bound for Covid 19 

During pandemic form for covid-19, people including teenagers have no active works except sitting or staying in the house. They had no activity but lazily pass their times. After nearly two years of lockdowns and school closures, lonely teenagers spent more time online. Many of them inevitably came across content like expressing their mental situations on TikTok. You know, any platform’s algorithm kicks in for rapid trend and serves suggestible young girls even more videos on the searching topic. Though mental health awareness is surely a good thing, but on the contrary, many influencers are inadvertently harming young who want attentions and impression grabbing views.  These unhealthy mental disorders are becoming a disease in all of our societies now, I think.

Though, I am neither a psychologist nor a psychiatrist, and a plain practicing architect, yet I need to live in my society and I learn from people’s psychology and mentality. I also studied psychology in academia and continuously have to study some sort of human psychology and to read and justify the trends and need to deal accordingly for my professional shakes. From some very plain point of views, I feel that I need to point out the influences of TikTok app on my society. Obviously, I can’t tell your situations for this app in your society, but I grimly expect your connections with your observations and comments in my articles. Your expressions and feelings about the app TikTok are highly needed for me to grow social awareness. Now, let’s discuss below how negatively TikTok influences us among our teenagers:

Negative Impact of TikTok on Teenagers: We can classify the impacts as below:

• Mental Health Issues
• Addiction and Overuse
• Cyberbullying and Online Harassment
• Exposure to Inappropriate Content
• Peer Influence and Trend Pressure
• Impact on Academic Performance
• Unrealistic Expectations and Consumerism
• Distortion of Reality
• Privacy and Safety Risks
• Impact on Social Skills and Real-life Interactions

Let's discuss a bit:

Mental Health Issues:

Increased anxiety and depression: 

The constant comparison to curated, idealized versions of others’ lives can make teenagers feel inadequate, leading to increased anxiety and feelings of low self-worth.

Body image issues: 

Exposure to beauty standards, filtered content, and "perfect" physiques on TikTok can exacerbate body image concerns, leading to unhealthy dieting, eating disorders, or low self-esteem.

Fear of Missing Out: 

Watching peers attending social events, vacations, or achieving success can cause feelings of exclusion and anxiety in teenagers who feel left out / FOMO.

Sleep disruption: 

The addictive nature of TikTok leads to late-night usage, which disrupts sleep schedules, contributing to sleep deprivation, fatigue, and poorer mental health.

There are numerous mental disorder than these

Addiction and Overuse:

Dopamine-driven cycle: 

The endless scroll and "For You" page are designed to provide instant gratification, triggering dopamine release and making it difficult to stop watching, creating a cycle of dependency.

Reduced attention span: 

Constant consumption of short, fast-paced videos leads to diminished attention spans, making it harder for teenagers to focus on tasks that require sustained concentration, such as studying or reading.

Time wastage: 

Many teenagers spend hours on TikTok, neglecting other important activities like homework, chores, or outdoor activities, leading to unproductive days and poor time management skills.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment:

Negative comments and trolling:

 Teenagers are often subjected to harsh criticism or bullying in TikTok comments, which can impact their self-esteem and mental well-being.

Public shaming: 

TikTok’s viral nature can lead to embarrassing videos going viral, causing humiliation and emotional distress if a teen is mocked or shamed online.

Peer pressure: 

The pressure to conform to trends, behaviors, or create viral content can lead to teenagers making risky or uncomfortable decisions just to fit in or gain approval.

Exposure to Inappropriate Content:

unethical contents can impact seriously

Sexualized content: 

TikTok can expose teenagers to explicit or sexualized content, sometimes even if they are not actively searching for it, which can affect their understanding of healthy relationships and sexuality.

Violence and harmful behaviors: 

Some trends or challenges on TikTok can encourage dangerous or harmful behaviors, such as self-harm, substance abuse, or risky physical challenges that put teenagers at risk.

Misinformation: 

TikTok has a wide reach for both accurate and misleading information. Teens may encounter conspiracy theories, misinformation, or harmful health advice that can negatively impact their beliefs and decisions.

Peer Influence and Trend Pressure:

Conformity and lack of individuality: 

TikTok thrives on trends and viral challenges that encourage teenagers to mimic popular behaviors, dances, or looks, which may stifle their individuality and creativity.

Desire for validation: 

Teenagers may become obsessed with the number of likes, followers, and comments they receive, which can distort their sense of self-worth and make them overly reliant on external validation.

Encouraging risky behavior: 

Some TikTok challenges and trends encourage teenagers to take part in dangerous or harmful activities, such as stunts that could result in injury or sharing personal information that puts them at risk.

Impact on Academic Performance:

Children are busy without study!

Distraction from studies: 

The addictive nature of TikTok can distract teenagers from their academic responsibilities, resulting in lower grades, unfinished assignments, or lack of focus during class.

Decreased productivity: 

Teens may procrastinate or use TikTok as an escape, avoiding homework or studying, which impacts their overall academic performance and long-term educational goals.

Impaired cognitive development: 

The short-form video format on TikTok may limit teenagers' ability to engage with long-form content that promotes deeper learning, thus hindering their cognitive development and critical thinking skills.

Unrealistic Expectations and Consumerism:

Materialism: 

TikTok’s emphasis on luxury lifestyles, expensive products, and "perfect" material possessions can promote materialism among teenagers, leading to dissatisfaction with their own lives or a desire for status symbols they cannot afford.

Promotion of sponsored content: 

Teens are often exposed to sponsored ads or influencer marketing that promotes consumer products, sometimes blurring the line between genuine recommendations and advertising, leading to impulsive buying behaviors.

Influencer culture: 

The rise of influencer culture on TikTok can lead teenagers to idealize influencers who may not provide healthy role models, encouraging unrealistic career aspirations or shallow personal goals.

Distortion of Reality:

Perception of reality vs. fantasy: 

TikTok users often create highly edited or scripted content that presents an exaggerated or filtered version of reality. Teenagers may struggle to differentiate between what is real and what is staged or altered, impacting their understanding of authentic life experiences.

Escapism: 

For some teenagers, TikTok serves as an escape from real-life struggles, but excessive engagement with the app may result in a disconnect from reality, leading to social isolation, avoidance of personal issues, or distorted self-perception.

Privacy and Safety Risks:

Data privacy concerns: 

TikTok collects extensive data on users, including their location, browsing history, and preferences, raising concerns about the safety and privacy of teenagers, who may not fully understand the risks.

Predatory behavior: 

There have been reports of adults attempting to contact or manipulate minors through TikTok, putting teens at risk of online grooming, exploitation, or harassment.

Sharing personal information: 

Teens may unknowingly share too much personal information in their TikTok videos or profiles, making them vulnerable to stalking, identity theft, or exploitation.

Impact on Social Skills and Real-life Interactions:

Loneliness offers pain

Reduced face-to-face interaction: 

As teens spend more time on TikTok, they may engage less in face-to-face communication, which can affect their ability to develop social skills, empathy, and meaningful in-person relationships.

Isolation: 

Teens may become more isolated in their digital world, preferring to interact with online communities rather than participating in real-life social events, leading to loneliness and social withdrawal.

In conclusion, as a very general point of view and a social being, I can say that while TikTok can be a fun and creative platform, its negative impact on teenagers can be significant in terms of mental health, social development, academic performance, and personal safety. It is important for both teens and their guardians to be aware of these potential risks and to use the platform mindfully, establishing healthy boundaries and promoting a balanced lifestyle.