5 ms·

I don't see it mentioned very often, but the whole "record yourself doing this funny dance" aspect of TikTok is, I think, a huge portion of why this is happenin

I don't see it mentioned very often, but the whole "record yourself doing this funny dance" aspect of TikTok is, I think, a huge portion of why this is happening and is what makes it more powerful than other forms of social media. Getting people used to imitating what they see on the app could also be programming their minds to consciously/subconsciously imitate other things they see on there as well.

thih9 4y ago
Isn’t the “record yourself” aspect relatively irrelevant? The majority of users don’t record themselves dancing (or even don’t create content on a regular basis).
- chaoticmass 4y ago
  I'm not so sure. Even if they don't record themselves, they see "everybody else" is doing it. You get the same thing happening in other forms and other social phenomenon but I'd wager the effect is stronger on TikTok.
  - thih9 4y ago
    That’s different to what you said earlier, now it’s not about imitating but observing others that imitate. As you say, same thing happens in other forms. A viral tiktok dance format seems similar to a viral image board macro or a viral twitter text format. How is tiktok different and why the effect would be stronger on tiktok?
feoren 4y ago
I downvoted you because this is completely unsubstantiated nonsensical speculation that boils down to "Kids these days!!". You sound like you would have protested against AD&D in the 80s and Harry Potter in the 90s for turning kids into Satanists, or violent video games in the early 00s for turning kids into school shooters. Same bullshit, different decade.
- chaoticmass 4y ago
  I fail to see the connection. The things you listed were all moral panics. I am not making an argument about the morality of TikTok. I'm commenting about the social and behavioural effects of TikTok and of Social Media in general.
  - pseudalopex 4y ago
    The moral panics were about social and behavioral effects.
NoPicklez 4y ago
There are varying types of content on TikTok, not all just "record yourself doing this funny dance". Perhaps that's where it all started, but it's grown significantly since then. The problem with TikTok is that you have little control over what you see. All it takes is for you to stumble across an ADHD related post, engage with it and you're more likely to then see those types of posts again and again. Anyone can have a voice on TikTok like other social media apps and ADHD in many social media circles seems to be an attention seeking type of content that makes people think "oh maybe I have it too". It's very similar to the classic scenario of people self diagnosing themselves with cancer, because they've googled it and believe they have some of the signs/symptoms. I'm not saying that ADHD isn't real, but it is a type of diagnosis that is open to ambiguity unless appropriately diagnosed.

thih9 4y ago

Isn’t the “record yourself” aspect relatively irrelevant? The majority of users don’t record themselves dancing (or even don’t create content on a regular basis).

chaoticmass 4y ago
I'm not so sure. Even if they don't record themselves, they see "everybody else" is doing it. You get the same thing happening in other forms and other social phenomenon but I'd wager the effect is stronger on TikTok.
- thih9 4y ago
  That’s different to what you said earlier, now it’s not about imitating but observing others that imitate. As you say, same thing happens in other forms. A viral tiktok dance format seems similar to a viral image board macro or a viral twitter text format. How is tiktok different and why the effect would be stronger on tiktok?

feoren 4y ago

I downvoted you because this is completely unsubstantiated nonsensical speculation that boils down to "Kids these days!!". You sound like you would have protested against AD&D in the 80s and Harry Potter in the 90s for turning kids into Satanists, or violent video games in the early 00s for turning kids into school shooters. Same bullshit, different decade.

chaoticmass 4y ago
I fail to see the connection. The things you listed were all moral panics. I am not making an argument about the morality of TikTok. I'm commenting about the social and behavioural effects of TikTok and of Social Media in general.
- pseudalopex 4y ago
  The moral panics were about social and behavioral effects.

NoPicklez 4y ago

There are varying types of content on TikTok, not all just "record yourself doing this funny dance". Perhaps that's where it all started, but it's grown significantly since then. The problem with TikTok is that you have little control over what you see. All it takes is for you to stumble across an ADHD related post, engage with it and you're more likely to then see those types of posts again and again. Anyone can have a voice on TikTok like other social media apps and ADHD in many social media circles seems to be an attention seeking type of content that makes people think "oh maybe I have it too". It's very similar to the classic scenario of people self diagnosing themselves with cancer, because they've googled it and believe they have some of the signs/symptoms. I'm not saying that ADHD isn't real, but it is a type of diagnosis that is open to ambiguity unless appropriately diagnosed.