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Let’s talk about TikTok. You know it, you’ve probably used it, you may love it. It seems that TikTok is the app of the year, pulling in consumers with their addicting and entertaining short videos. But, when we take a step back from the seemingly innocent entertainment, there are some negative effects of TikTok that you need to know about.
TikTok is known for its “for you” page, where they cater to each individual’s interests, desires, and lifestyles, based on information gathered on them. TikTok creates an entire profile for each individual user and then gathers videos that appeal to their interests.
Creepy? Maybe a little. But successful, nonetheless.
TikTok is hugely popular across the world. As of June 2021 statistics, TikTok had almost 3 billion downloads and over 1 billion active users. Now, that’s a lot of people.
I’ll be honest, I’m a TikTok user myself. I catch myself scrolling for embarrassing lengths of time, watching videos of all sorts. It’s entertaining.
But, there are also some negative effects of TikTok that have become increasingly clear to me through my own usage.
While you may be able to consume TikTok in a healthy manner, there are still negative TikTok effects that you should know about and be aware of as a consumer. Let’s break those down.
10 Negative Effects of TikTok
TikTok can have negative effects on mental health, productivity, and overall lifestyle. We will explore all 3 of those areas when looking at these 10 negative effects of TikTok.
Negative Effects of TikTok on Mental Health
1. TikTok Encourages Negative Comparison
The same can be said for most social media platforms, but this seems exceptionally prominent with TikTok.
TikTok offers a short video glimpse into the lives of others from around the world. With the video platform, it seems to feel a bit more personal and intimate. Videos on TikTok often give off a false sense of reality.
The perceived reality that is taken away from these videos is glamorized, fine–tuned, and touched up.
Like anything, if you compare your everyday life to the glamorized highlight reel of someone else, you are most likely going to find yourself comparing. Very few people share mundane, everyday things on social media. It’s important to remember this discrepancy when consuming TikTok videos.
{RELATED POST: Everything You Need to Know About the TikTok ‘That Girl’ Trend}
Comparison is one of the biggest negative effects of TikTok that I have felt personally and seen in others.
Comparison is the thief of joy, guys! Grab a similar shirt here!
2. TikTok Showcases Disordered Eating
CW: Eating Disorders
As someone who has struggled with an eating disorder, I know how the negative effects of TikTok on the eating disorder community. Whether it be seemingly innocent “What I Eat in a Day” videos or blatant body-checking videos, there are lots of triggering content to be seen on TikTok.
Additionally, with the “for you page” model, TikTok recognizes the consumption of unhealthy videos and further promotes them to you. For me personally, in my disorder, I watched tons of videos on low-calorie foods, diet hacks, weight loss, and even eating disorder content.
It felt like it only took a few videos to completely shift my entire “for you page” to these types of videos. Before I knew it, those videos were all that was being recommended to me.
This can be a really negative effect of TikTok for those struggling. At times, dangerous eating habits are promoted and glamorized on this app.
3. TikTok Can Be a Platform for Bullying
The amount of hateful, hurtful, and malicious comments that I have seen on TikTok is mind-boggling.
From personal experience, I have seen more hate on TikTok than on any other app. Body shaming, slut shaming, name-calling, etc… It all feels too common on TikTok.
Naturally, this is one of the biggest negative effects of TikTok. This is cyberbullying!
Cyberbullying can be extremely damaging to the mental health of victims. Depression, anxiety, anger, isolation, and extreme stress are all effects of cyberbullying.
By no means is this only present on TikTok. I see this occur on nearly every social media platform. However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t recognize this as a negative effect of TikTok on our mental health.
Hateful words are upsetting and hurtful. Definitely something to be aware of when spending your time on TikTok.
Negative Effect of TikTok on Productivity
4. TikTok Wastes Time
This probably comes as no surprise to you. If you are a routine TikTok user, I’m willing to bet you’ve found yourself lost in the black TikTok hole once or twice before.
I know I’ve been guilty of it many times! I’ll start by just watching one or two and then suddenly it’s an hour and a half later. Whoops!
There’s a time and a place for mindless scrolling, but this becomes a problem when it distracts you from your work or from other important things.
A big negative effect of TikTok is the sheer amount of time that users spend on the app. This is great for TikTok… not so great for the users.
In other words, TikTok is a distraction. If you don’t hold yourself accountable, it can quickly negatively affect your productivity and waste time.
5. TikTok Appeals to a Short Attention Span
With the videos on TikTok being mostly under a minute long (they’ve recently increased the video limit to 3 minutes), TikTok doesn’t force their users to grow their attention span.
A Microsoft study found that the average attention span is decreasing rapidly. As technology becomes more and more prominent in our everyday lives, our attention spans suffer.
TikTok appeals to this short attention span with its limited video length. A smart business model, for sure. But not such a great thing for consumers.
TikTok is not to blame for the declining attention span we are seeing, but the support of this is yet another one of the negative effects of TikTok.
Instead of appealing to our short attention span with quick, satisfying videos, our time would be better spent reading, learning, or spending time away from our phones.
Overall Negative Effects of TikTok
6. TikTok Spreads Misinformation
Again, this is not only a negative effect of TikTok. Misinformation is spread among all social media platforms.
However, I think it’s important to mention this as a potential negative effect of TikTok consumption. I have personally accepted misinformation as a fact after seeing it on TikTok. After that experience, I am now very aware that the information put out on TikTok is not always credible.
With an open platform that allows nearly anyone to produce and publish content, it can be expected that not everything is going to be 100% factual.
It’s important to understand the prominence of misinformation when using TikTok.
Utilize this as an opportunity to be a responsible media consumer. Fact check before believing what you see, read, or hear on TikTok (or any social media!).
7. TikTok Divides people
In addition to the misinformation, TikTok seems to be a place of division and conflict for many different issues. Whether it is something as big as a pandemic or something as small as some drama on the Bachelorette, TikTok tends to divide people into conflicting groups on this issue.
In this way, it feels as though TikTok helps to form cliques regarding hot topics of disagreement. I consider this to be a negative effect of TikTok because this distinction only furthers the hate and divisiveness in our society.
While some may disagree about this being a negative effect of TikTok, I see it as a negative for those reasons.
8. TikTok Breeds ‘Cancel Culture’
It has become a buzzword for when an individual is exiled for particular negative behaviors.
There are many differing opinions on cancel culture, but, overall, I tend to believe it is unfair. Aside from extreme conditions, I think that cancel culture is a harsh price to pay for mistakes or wrongful actions.
TikTok seems to be a place that cancel culture resides quite heavily. When a mistake is made by someone in the public eye, TikTok is quick to “cancel” them.
On one side, I think that can help promote accountability – something that I fully support.
On the other side, I think TikTok cancel culture unfairly forces hatred towards an individual. Cancel culture often goes as far as death threats. Not okay.
This is why I think cancel culture is one of the negative effects of TikTok. I believe in accountability… but we also have to offer some opportunities for mistakes, growth, and future development.
9. TikTok Contains Inappropriate Content
This is a big negative impact of TikTok, especially for younger users. As of recent reports, it is estimated that roughly 32.5% of TikTok users are between the ages of 10 and 19. In the grand scheme, those are some young consumers.
The reality is, TikTok contains some content that is inappropriate, especially for people of that age range.
While TikTok does offer parental controls, it is not commonplace for those to be utilized. This leaves the youth with an app that promotes and showcases videos that are out of their age range.
Again, TikTok is not solely to blame for this. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. all contain inappropriate content as well. But it would be irresponsible to not realize the inappropriate content as a potential negative effect of TikTok.
10. TikTok Unequally Censors Creators
There has been quite a bit of talk about the unfair and unequal censorship on the TikTok app. Whether it be in regard to race, body shape, gender, age, sexuality, or more, there have been claims of unjust censorship banning certain groups of creators more than others.
TikTok has faced racial bias allegations, leaving Black creators to communicate that their content is “being suppressed“.
Additionally, TikTok has been known to unequally censor plus-size users. Creators have expressed unfair censorship claiming nudity and other violations, while the work of smaller-bodied creators is left (for the most part) untouched.
Mik Zazon, the founder of the #NormalizeNormalBodies movement, spoke out on this issue. Zazon shared her frustration that over 40 videos had been unfairly censored and removed.
This inequality and unfair treatment towards TikTok creators is one of the main negative effects of TikTok. This is an issue that has been brought up on multiple occasions. Even though TikTok has issued some apologies, the issues have yet to be resolved.
So we know there are negative effects of TikTok…
Are there any positive effects of TikTok?
Absolutely!
We’ve been chatting about all the negatives…
But I don’t want to only focus on the negative effects of TikTok. Let’s briefly talk about some of the positive effects of TikTok too!
5 Positive Effects of TikTok
1. TikTok Can Be Educational
I have learned so many cleaning how-tos, unique stretches, recipe tips, and life hacks on TikTok.
Did you know if you spin a bottle of peanut butter, it mixes in the oil?!
2. TikTok is Entertaining
I’d be lying if I said TikTok wasn’t just plain entertaining. I gotta be honest… TikTok has me LAUGHING OUT LOUD more times than I would like to admit. There is some good stuff on that app!
Plus… there are a lot of puppy videos. I’ll never turn that down.
3. TikTok Builds Connections
Whether it is just connecting over similarities in the comments or building an entire friendship, TikTok has helped connect people. Especially while in quarantine, TikTok was a great tool to keep us connected to people outside our bubble.
4. TikTok is a Platform for Important Voices
I touched on the body positive movement a bit earlier when talking about Mik Zazon. Body positivity is only one of the movements. TikTok has become a platform for social activism and a voice for many important issues.
Mental illness, BLM, body positivity, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights… and that’s only to name a few! TikTok gives a platform to discuss these things.
5. TikTok Inspires Creativity
Regardless of any negative effects of TikTok, there are some really incredible creators on the app. Videography skills, musical gifts, dancing abilities, and more… TikTok has given these individuals a platform to showcase their unique talents.
TikTok dances are one of the most common trends on the app. This inspires creativity with both the original creators and each person that learns and duplicates the dance.
This creative focus is a major benefit of TikTok.
So, is TikTok bad for you?
The question is up to you. There are some definite negative effects of TikTok, but there are positives, too!
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As far as I’m concerned, if you are aware of the potential negative effects of TikTok and are committed to being a responsible, positive, and mindful user, maybe the app isn’t all that bad.
Louise says
Thank you so much for this article, it was very interesting and well written.
Delaney says
Thank you Louise! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
tranxi says
thx u 4 this article 🙂
Delaney says
Glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reading!
kk says says
thank you so much! It is very informative
Delaney says
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed the post!
Susan says
loving it Del!!!
Delaney says
Thank you, Susan!!
Max's Mom says
Thanks for your review of ticktok. Have you also that it glamorizes dark and subcultures for impressionable youth? It seems that often times parents are allowing their kids this app beliving it’s a positive and dance culture for kids. What we’ve come to learn is that there is a dark side of TikTok that glamorizes mental health struggles – being pro suicide, cutting, eating disorders, psych wards and much more.
What have your findings discovered in this area?
Ms tiny eyes says
Thank you Del for this is very good article which I saw the same of some negative effects about Tik Tok especially about nudity and sexaulity which they have many consequences to the new generation underage.
I wish Tik Tok should restricted something like that but it seems not.
Delaney says
Thank you for the comment. There really are quite a few downfalls (like most online apps). It’s disappointing!
Jasreet Kaur Dhaliwal says
I am writing a speech about the negative impacts of TikTok and thank you so much for your information.
TYSM 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
kindly regarded by Jass
Delaney says
So glad this was helpful! Good luck with your speech!!
Mimi says
I had a school Essay of why TikTok and other platforms on social media should be banned and this helped me a lot thank you!