In December, in a piece about luigi mangione And the “blackpiling” of America – leading to disillusionment –voice writer Rebecca Jennings describes a general malaise sweeping the public: “All Americans find themselves in an increasingly nihilistic mood… They are frustrated with the economy, and pessimistic about climate change, the dating market, and their own loneliness. Realizing they are losing faith in nearly every major American institution, from the public school system to the police department, the military, unions, organized religion, and of course the media.
This sentiment may also describe attitudes toward social media platforms in 2025. X, once considered the town square of the internet, is rife with trolls, hate speech and propaganda. Meta appears to be following in the footsteps of X and Elon Musk, coming back fact check And hate speech protection On Facebook and Instagram at high speed. Somewhat outrageously, social platforms are poised to become even more toxic for their own users rich and powerful man struggle with loved ones Insecurities about masculinity And free speech.
In comparison, TikTok was not just another social platform. It was personalized, even helpful. I've been an avid TikToker for years; It is a platform that taught me recipes, curly hair care, how to find financial resources, art tutorials, workout routines, plant care and much more. It has had a more positive material impact on my life than any other platform, a sentiment shared by many US users. Is that personal impact more important than listening to the government's dry defense on foreign influence? Just ask TikTokers Now I am learning Mandarin As soon as they migrate to RedNote.
Other TikTok users are spending their last days saying goodbye to the app. “For my Chinese spy to keep an eye on me through my phone,” one reads“I will miss you.” The end times on the app are filled with creators asking their audiences to follow them elsewhere, while also using every last second attack your own countryAnd its efforts to ban an app while much larger remain problematic. “National security risk?” User Brian Andrews says in a video With 27 million views. “Yes, okay.”
We are past the days when TikTok was considered just an app where people posted lip syncs and dances. Today, it is a powerhouse, a finely tuned machine that churns out memes, jokes, fashion trends, news, music, slang and more faster than any modern social platform.
TikTok's success exists on both a macro and micro level, setting both cultural trends and giving individuals the ability to craft a specific type of lifestyle through a feed that constantly evolves based on your interests. it occurs. it gave A better platform for artists So that people all over the world can see their work. it helped the victims They take their message to war-torn countries and abroad. It created a new generation of small business owners, a countless number of people who were able bootstrap yourself financially Towards a better life by building an audience.
The US government claims that the threat posed by TikTok is of little interest to the average American. In fact, the younger generation has Always exist in a highly online world where their privacy is exposedSometimes from birthAs a TikTok user Baisakhi_and_Masala Say this: “I don't care that China has my data! Are you kidding? Everyone has my data.