Making TikTok tick

While digital life moves quickly, other, less visible developments are also taking place. Our attention span being fragmented is one of these changes, and the impact on culture is another.

Randomly, I looked into TikTok, an application that comes with a heavy load of political and lawmaker analyses about its relationship to its parent company ByteDance and China’s potential influence over the platform, as a growing number of countries are either banning or considering restricting the use of TikTok.

Nevertheless, since 2021, TikTok has grown into the ‘hottest app’. In 2022, it was considered the most downloaded application. Over the past years, life has been a little challenging. People are worn out. TikTok has grown into the answer, particularly for younger people.

The continuous development of new media technology encourages users to express their opinions, exchange information, and build hyper-niches. As the Canadian communicator scholar Marshall McLuhan said, ‘the medium is the message’. In this case, it is ephemeral. Short-lived but deeply rooted. It guides us to see the world within different paradigms and codes. People adapt to machines, not the other way around.

TikTok's interactive features, such as short videos and meme templates, and its popular genres, such as dance and comedy, have all enriched the social media culture. The traits of TikTok’s playfulness engage relationships and tap into new audiences, besides promoting the content of the brand in a more casual way; in other words, it brings business model innovation. People can create their versions or interpretations of events.

Studies claim that TikTok influencers can sell more products compared to traditional marketing methods. Live streaming in commerce is a fresh way to showcase a product or service.

The fact that TikTok has widened its impact on the digital economy is an issue that needs consideration. The social networking site recently unveiled its Southeast Asia Socio-Economic Impact Report 2023 and declared it will invest millions of dollars over the next three years to support Southeast Asian small businesses in their transition from offline to online.

‘The TikTok Effect: Boosting Business, Advancing Education, and Empowering Communities in Southeast Asia, released in June, highlights how TikTok is enhancing economic opportunities, advancing education, and fostering community development worldwide.

The programme is intended to offer chances through cash grants, digital skills training, and advertising credit. Besides creating economic growth, it has diversified into music, charities, and politics, while customising its content for all walks of life.

The success of TikTok has attracted the attention of academics who are interested in learning about the social and economic engagements happening within the platform sphere while also mapping the landscape of the use of the application as a communication tool. Studies show that short 15-second videos contribute to lower attention spans and people being less patient.

TikTok is currently the "cool kid" in academic studies, and several symposiums and conferences are being organised. With case studies ranging from Asia to Latin America, educators and researchers investigate the diverse socio-cultural perspectives of TikTok as a way to gather cultural knowledge.

The presence of Latin American leaders using the app is another intriguing aspect. They post short videos of themselves connecting with citizens, traveling, or giving public speeches. China has close economic and security ties with most Latin American countries.

Statistics show that, behind the United States, Indonesia has the second-highest number of TikTokers. Brazil is third on the list, after Mexico, Russia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. According to data from early July 2023, the website Modash asserts that Oman has more than 29,900 Tik Tok influencers.

Culturally, the platform provides entertainment, a place for enjoyment, and building community ideals. However, the platform is also playing a complex role in a new world order in cyberspace.