I installed it out of curiosity, and God damn, this is the worst form of social media yet. It seems like it's designed to accomplish two things: keep me scrolling, and eventually make me depressed. It's basically paralyzing to use.
I didn't make an account, so I guess its a bit like looking at the front page of YouTube, which is also terrible. But out of all the social media I've used in my life tiktok seems like the worst because of how much it sucks you in, and the type of content on it. Runner up is Instagram, but I deleted my account there years ago and never looked back.
Call me a boomer or w/e, but this shit melts your brain even more than everything else already does.
I dont fully agree because I think TikTok can be enriching in a way no other social media is if you get on the right side of it. I hear actually new view points, people who live in Gaza for example, and a lot of open communists. That doesn’t really happen even on similar platforms like YouTube Shorts. TikTok is much less filtered experience and therefore more authentic, if you are consistent about liking/saving content.
It absolutely can be brainrot though, but it’s a blissful brainrot
Exhibit A, surprise Žižek https://www.tiktok.com/@jrdnstn/video/7361878519653109035