If it wants to avoid a complete ban in Europe, the social network TikTok must comply. With TikTok, the Chinese company Bytedance arrived to disprove our belief that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat controlled the social network market.
The European Union wants to impose TikTok with the same regulations as other services. In order to make social networks as secure as possible.
TikTok may face a ban in Europe soon
It was Thierry Breton, who oversees the internal market for the European Commission. He expressed dissatisfaction with TikTok’s present policy. “It is not acceptable for users to access violent content and even occasionally life threatening content”.
A young audience includes tremendous responsibility, said Thierry Breton. This is why the EU is especially concerned about TikTok.
The legislator in this case wants to use the Digital Services Act, or DSA, a forthcoming EU regulation that should allow for better regulation of the digital companies. A TikTok ban may take place because of this.
This means for the European Union to ask TikTok to cooperate right away in order to prevent issues later.
Thierry Breton identifies a number of issues that social networks in general need to take more seriously. Including user data leaks, the use of the platform to spy on users, bot-driven disinformation, online harassment, and the promotion of eating disorders.
To put it another way, TikTok needs to quickly enhance its moderating.
Dangers of TikTok
TikTok, a social media platform that allows users to create and share 15 second videos. It has become increasingly popular among younger generations. However, along with its rise in popularity come concerns about the potential dangers of using the app.
One major concern is the potential for cyberbullying. TikTok allows users to comment on and share videos, and with anonymity and lack of accountability. Some users may use the platform to harass and bully others. In addition, the app’s algorithm can also contribute to the spread of bullying. By promoting videos that receive a lot of negative comments.
Another concern is the potential for exposure to inappropriate content. TikTok has faced criticism for not doing enough to moderate and remove content that is violent, sexual, or promoting hate speech. This can be especially concerning for younger users. They may not have the maturity or understanding to critically evaluate the content they are viewing.
Privacy is also a concern with TikTok. The app has been criticized for collecting and sharing user data without their consent. In addition, the app’s terms of service have been criticized for being overly broad. And allowing the company to use user generated content in any way they see fit.
Another concern is the potential for addiction. The app’s algorithm keeps track of user engagement. By showing them more content that they are likely to engage with. This can lead to users spending excessive amounts of time on the app and neglecting other responsibilities.
TikTok has also been criticized for spreading misinformation and propaganda. The platform has been used to spread conspiracy theories and false information. And the company has been criticized for not doing enough to stop the spread of misinformation.
The positive and negative impact of TikTok
The impact of TikTok can be both positive and negative. Some of the potential effects include:
Positive:
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- Creativity and self expression: TikTok allows users to create and share short videos. Which can be a fun and creative outlet for self expression.
- Entertainment: TikTok provides a platform for users to watch and discover new and entertaining content.
- Social connection: TikTok can be used to connect with friends and family, and to discover and interact with like minded individuals.
- Business: TikTok can be used as a tool for businesses to connect with customers and promote their products and services.
Negative:
- Privacy concerns: TikTok has been criticized for its handling of user data. And the app’s ability to access users’ personal information.
- Cyberbullying: The app has been used to bully and harass individuals, particularly children and teenagers.
- Inappropriate content: TikTok has been criticized for hosting inappropriate or offensive content, including hate speech, violence, and sexual content.
- Spread of misinformation: the app has been used to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories.
- Addictive: TikTok’s algorithm can be addictive and can lead to excessive use of the app. Which could negatively impact users’ mental health and well being.
- Safety concerns: The app is not suitable for children under the age of 13. And there have been reports of predators using the app to contact children.
- Impact on creativity: TikTok’s use of algorithm generated content can lead to a lack of diversity and originality in the content being produced
- Impact on mental health: There have been studies that show excessive use of TikTok and other social media platforms can have negative impact on mental health.
TikTok vs Competitors
TikTok, the short form video sharing app, has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years. As of 2021, the app has over 1 billion monthly active users. Making it one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. However, how does TikTok’s user base compare to other major social networks?
Facebook, the world’s largest social network, currently has over 2.8 billion monthly active users. This means that TikTok has about a third of Facebook’s user base, despite being a relatively new platform. However, TikTok’s user growth has been much faster than Facebook’s. Which has seen a slower rate of growth in recent years.
Instagram, which is belongs to Facebook, also has a significant user base. As of 2021, the photo sharing app has over 1 billion monthly active users. Making it roughly on par with TikTok in terms of user numbers. However, Instagram’s user base is primarily consists of older users. While TikTok’s user base is larger across age groups.
Twitter, another major social network, has around 330 million monthly active users. Making it significantly smaller than TikTok and the other two giants. Even LinkedIn, the professional social media platform, has around 740 million monthly active users. Which is still less than TikTok’s user base.
In conclusion, TikTok’s user base is significant, but it’s still smaller in comparison to Facebook, the world’s largest social network. However, TikTok has managed to grow its user base faster than Facebook and other social networks. TikTok’s user base is also more include several age groups than Instagram’s, which is more popular among older users.
The main strength points of TikTok
- User-friendly interface and easy to use editing tools.
- Short-form video format is perfect for quick, attention grabbing content.
- Variety of content available, including music, dance, comedy, and more.
- Built-in social media features, such as the ability to follow accounts and engage with content through likes and comments.
- Algorithm that suggests content based on user preferences.
- Built-in music library and sound effects to enhance videos.
- Duet feature allows users to collaborate on videos with other users.
- Hashtag and challenge features make it easy to discover and participate in trending content.
- Live streaming feature allows for real time engagement with viewers.
- Global reach, with users and content from all over the world.
