TikTok is a social network for sharing user-generated videos, mostly of people lip-syncing to popular songs. Users can:
- Create and upload their own videos where they lip-sync, sing, dance, or just talk.
- You can also (mindlessly) browse for hours, and interact with other users’ content, which covers a wide range of topics, songs, and styles.
With more than 100 million users (mostly teens and tweens), TikTok is incredibly popular, owing in part to its mash-up of features from other kid favourites. Like the lip-syncing app Dubsmash, users can watch and record videos of themselves lip-syncing to popular music and sound bites. As they did on the now-defunct Vine, kids can create short, shareable videos ranging from funny to serious. And just like YouTube, TikTok is an interactive world of videos that lets you connect with friends and followers through likes, comments, and even duets.
With 100 million users (and counting), it’s likely that this app is already on your child’s device or they have used it on their friend’s device.
From a Biblical perspective, there is no good reason for this app to be on our devices. Even its supposedly “positive” aspects still promote worldly, popular music and culture.