The Tik-Tok revolution: how the social media platform is effecting culture on campus

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PHOTO FROM EBOY.CENTRAL INSTAGRAM

“E-boy” and “e-girl” fashion is a popular trend on Tik-Tok.

Alison Robles, Editor-in-Chief

College students are directly tuned in to technology. They spend most of their day sitting in front of a computer or scrolling through their phone, and a large portion of that time is devoted to social media. While Instagram and Snapchat are still arguably the main social media platforms, there is a new contender rising up in the relatable content world: TikTok.

TikTok, once known as Musical.ly, is dominated by teenagers and young adults lip syncing along with popular songs or acting out audio from dramatic television shows. More recently, TikTok has taken on a life of its own with users creating dances, popularizing fashion trends and generating new memes used in everyday conversation.

Freshman Jenna Lembo watches TikToks every day and incorporates them into her daily routine.

“I sing the songs all the time,” Lembo said. “It influences my humor, but not all of my friends watch them.”

The video-sharing platform is similar to the now-dead Vine app. Content creators – called TikTokers – record a video between 15 to 60 seconds long, either acting out original content or creating something with audio playing in the background.

You don’t have to make videos to be on TikTok – many users use the platform solely to watch videos or to share videos with their friends. Dance trends like Mariah Carey’s “Obsessed” memes like “Hit or Miss” and fashion trends like VSCO girls and e-boys have found their roots on TikTok.

Freshman Daniel Russo doesn’t often watch TikToks but knows many people who use the platform on a daily basis.

“It influences [my friends],” Russo said. “Especially on campus, it definitely appeals to a wide audience.”

Some students may not have the TikTok app downloaded, but many of the most popular videos and memes that originate from the platform find their way onto other social media feeds like Instagram and Twitter. There are Instagram and Twitter accounts dedicated exclusively to sharing videos and memes from TikTok videos.

Freshman Mathew Botelho doesn’t make TikToks himself but knows many people who do.

“I see a lot of […] TikToks on Instagram,” Botelho said. “I see a lot of people copy things from that.”

TikTok is a rising trend that is not going away anytime soon. According to the New York Times, high schools across the United States are forming TikTok clubs. For many students, both high school and college alike, TikTok is another platform to share your life through, whether it’s the highs or the lows.