TikTok and Youtube are slowly taking over the world generation by generation. When I say slowly, I mean just within the past four years– which is not slow at all. Media has been a big problem since the advent of these platforms. The term fake news spawns, and it can all start with a TikTok someone comes upon. There are very few rules and regulations you have to go through when posting a TikTok. For instance, you create your video and then it goes through a safety feature to make sure it’s not inappropriate and instantly your post is up.
I have witnessed this misinformation on TikTok when scrolling through and spying a fake video. But, I can quickly crack down just with another simple search that determines that Tom Brady didn’t actually just get charged with murder. The different media outlets are all so competitive that everyone wants to put the big news story out first, and sometimes that big news story isn’t even a true story at all. TikTok and Youtube are great platforms and awesome for entertainment, but they influence the likelihood that fake news is increasingly likely.
A great example I found in an article called “TikToks Impact on the Music Industry and Social Media” shared some insight into how trends come about nowadays, writing “because of TikTok’s algorithm and the way that they push certain videos out to their viewers, trends easily show up and occur. It is not uncommon to hear someone say, ‘I saw this new trend on TikTok,’ because it seems to be one of the main ways that trends are disseminated out into the public.”
This quote really stood out to me while reading the article because of how accurate I find it to be.
The effects of TikTok and Youtube on broadcasting are similar in a way, but much more deeply felt by films and television. I think there have been positives and negatives from a broadcasting standpoint.
On the positive side, popular TV shows and news channels garner a lot of attention due to their TikTok accounts gaining popularity. A lot of people like to post funny and amusing clips from television shows, but they don’t do that to drag more viewers into watching that show. Instead, they post in order to give their account recognition and garner more views to their page.
On the negative side, I think it drags attention away from the shows and keeps kids glued to their devices.
I’m guilty of this.
I tend to go on YouTube and find summaries of a debate or sports game because it is fully edited on Youtube. I can easily find the interesting facts. Summarized content sort of changes the nature between Youtube and TV, because it gives room for kids to always have that reliable, accessible content, and they don’t have to tune into that certain show at that certain time. It’s that comfort knowing that it will be on YouTube later.
Additionally, there is an argument for why it could possibly be good to remain in the moment and tune in later. I feel like TikTok is popping off in a way no other media has due to its interactiveness. I think this interactivity is a huge part of TikTok’s success and how the platform is coming out with new ways to engage all the time. You are able to like, share with others, and comment your opinion.
I know people who scroll through comments all day for comedic purposes as well as to gain information about what others think. It becomes embedded as a rhythm that people look forward to after a long day. I know that I look forward to getting in bed at night and scrolling through YouTube to see new videos uploaded every night.
