Depending on who you ask, the short-form video platform TikTok is either a showcase of wacky dances and makeup tutorials or a sophisticated threat to American national security. Because TikTok Inc. belongs to a Chinese company, ByteDance Ltd. — and because China requires its companies, upon request, to share any national security data with the government — TikTok’s popularity with Americans has implications beyond the cellphone screen. This adds to concerns among parents, educators and mental health experts about whether TikTok’s content and its addictive nature are unhealthy for young minds.
All social media platforms collect user data. But TikTok is considered the most advanced, and strangely effective, to know your interests, based on how long you stay on a video and whether you like, forward or comment on it. This allows his algorithm to provide more interesting elements to what he calls the “For you” feed. The resulting stream of diverse yet personalized content can be intoxicating enough that it’s hard to stop scrolling. Two-thirds of American teens use TikTok every day, according to a 2022 Pew Research Center survey, and 16% say they are on the platform almost constantly.
