My Unexpected Love Of TikTok: What I’ll Miss Most If Banned
I’ve been in denial for a while. I had heard the rumblings of TikTok getting banned for a while, but pretty much ignored it thinking that, like everything else, I was catastrophizing and it wouldn’t end up happening. But here we are, just days before the TikTok ban is to go into effect, and I’m starting to feel the sadness creep in, knowing that what was once thought of as a possibility is now a heavily looming reality.
Just to catch you up on the latest, in a nutshell, as of Friday, January 10th, it looked like the U.S. Supreme Court will likely uphold a law that would basically ban TikTok in the United States. This after three hours of questioning of the lawyers for TikTok and the U.S. government. You can check out this ScotusBlog post for a deeper dive into what went down on the 10th if you’re up for it.
We’re now days away from the 19th and I’ve been thinking a lot about what this ban would mean to me. I’ve had a TikTok account for years but it wasn’t until a little over a year ago, that I started spending much time on there. I also started posting regularly for the first time. Why? Well over the past few years, I became incredibly interested/obsessed with Korean content. It started with Kdramas, and after that I dove headfirst down the rabbit hole of Korean food, skincare, literature, the language, and the aspect I am most rabid about, the Kpop group BTS.
At that time, I became so invested in Korean content that I felt like I had no one to talk to about it. I could feel the eyerolls around me when I brought up the plot twist of the latest popular Kdrama, or how sad I was that soon all the members of my favorite boyband would be enlisted for their mandatory military service. I had no one to share that with. Until I changed my view of TikTok.
I remember the exact moment it happened. I was actually in South Korea for a two-week solo vacation when I decided that I needed somewhere to put all of that energy. I deleted the few random posts I had made over the years, and started fresh. Here’s the first post I made on November 9, 2023 that started it all.
After that post, my social media life as I knew it, changed drastically. Yes, I still have other social media (Facebook, Instagram, the bird app that I’ll never call that letter, etc.) that I mostly use because of my job, but my heart and my energy was now invested in TikTok.
It’s been on TikTok that I deliberately curated my content. If it wasn’t related to Korean content, I wasn’t engaging. If it was, I was watching the whole video, liking, commenting, sharing. All the things. That way, the algorithm/FYP (for you page), would give me more of what I want. Because of that, I have had an incredible experience on TikTok and will truly miss what I’ve built over there for myself.
For people wondering why TikTok, as opposed to other social media platforms, here are my personal thoughts. I understand everyone’s experience is different, but for me, these are the reasons I love TikTok over other social media.
- Hands down, the funniest content comes from TikTok. I’ve found that a lot of the funny things I’ve come across on Instagram, originated on TikTok.
- People on TikTok are more “real.” I love that people make posts not all made up, wearing bonnets, sitting under desks, showing half of their face, or zoomed in on their face. It feels like people are just showing up as themselves.
- It’s a place to “find yourself.” I’ve come across people who have said they weren’t comfortable showing themselves, people wanting to try a dance challenge but aren’t dancers, or people who are just self-conscious in general. I’ve seen these same people blossom and thrive with the support of other people.
- It’s where the best challenges are born. Mind you, I realize that there have been dangerous challenges that have started on TikTok, but the dance challenges over there are top tier.
- Easier to find “your people.” I have met some of the most incredible people and creators on TikTok. I’ve been introduced to: many people who have also made trips to Korea, people who spend time learning Korean in order to translate and sing BTS lyrics, Korean people sharing food and recipes along with stories that go with them, Korean authors recommending books by other Korean authors, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
- The comment section is superior. Of course there are negative and mean comments on TikTok, but honestly, what I’ve experienced has been positive. I’ve found that the comment section can be as entertaining as the original post. One guy I follow loves to dance hip hop and loves K-pop. He started taking classes and posting his progress online. The comments that I’ve seen have been so encouraging and supportive and that makes me so happy for him.
- Even the ads are entertaining! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched people using the Tymo two-in-one flat iron and curler waiting with baited breath to see the “after.” And yes, I was influenced and bought one. It’s great. I’ve also watched people: telling stories while dressed in and selling mumus, standing on a vibrating power plate and talking about what’s going on in their life, sitting and reading a book in an oversized chair, and many, many more that are just way more engaging than anything else I’ve seen on any other platform.
I could go on and on, and again, I will say that this has been my personal experience. I am very aware that there is some of the same BS going on on TikTok as other platforms, but the benefits and positives have far outweighed the negative.
So at this point, we wait. Yes, the app may be saved, but I don’t know if it will ever be the same depending on who ends up being in charge of it here in the U.S. Yes, I’ll still be on Facebook and Instagram (sigh @PebblesBoston), but for me I’ll miss the experience I’ve had on TikTok.
Now to get over there and download my hundreds and hundreds of BTS, Kdrama, Korean: cooking, book, skincare, travel, and language content. RIP TikTok. Thanks for the joy. That said, I leave you with one of my favorite content creators, Dominique who dances to Kpop in her Dollar Tree apron in the storage room.
