I’ll be frank: I find TikTok entertaining.  It may however surprise you to know that the reason is not because of idle amusement.  Aside from platforms promoting some very helpful intellectual habits (such as the simple value of focussing on the good not the bad), there are medical, dental, political and economic platforms by highly qualified speakers. I find TikTok a great way to get succinct and in-depth analysis without having to skip over obviously sensational reporting common to the regular news outlets such as CBC, BBC, CNN, MSNBC and of course Fox News.

The success of TikTok has been astronomic.  Knowing that it is a Chinese company affords unquestionable creditability both as to advancement and quality.  The record of Chinese expansion nationally and internationally is praiseworthy.  Because the Chinese market for internet usage is trifling compared to that of North America and Europe, TikTok is making an effort to expand its international audience.  Given the growth of similar companies worldwide one has to wonder if and when TikTok will be overtaken by an even more attractive model.

In the meantime I find TikTok far more stimulating and meaningful than anything I have encountered on Facebook or Twitter (which admittedly is not much – and I don’t wish to diminish the familial or friendly side of Facebook for example). At the same time, recognizing the precision of the algorithms which control the intelligence that one sees, I am cautious about adopting assertions without careful consideration or cautious reserve. It is part of the idiom of social media that awareness of misleading information is critical. For the most part however I find TikTok material is factual, persuasive and generous. While there are those who relate a narrative committed to one perspective only; the more alert commentary is broadminded and fair. Increasingly one finds accounts by current politicians. Of course they are responding to the popular medium for communication. It is undeniable that social media fulfills a gap in the chain of conversation. I view this synthesis of exchanges as illustrative of the original popular evolution of computers from the likes of PacMan; that is, improvement from mere games to commerce, professionalism and education.

After a career devoted to studying original and sometimes long documents, it appeals to me to succumb to material which is more easily digestible and fathomable. Certainly there are huge amounts of material on TikTok which are frivolous or positively vainglorious; the appeal is no doubt to youth or the absentminded. Some of the videos are positively salacious; but it is only one of many realities confronted in the entire catalogue. The nutrition of TikTok, like that of any other source of information or account, is always eclipsed by the sight and mind of the viewer. I do like the immediacy of many of the articles – particularly those related to relevant news. Even if one doubts the capacity of the reviewer, the item of news being related is independent.

TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (Chinese: ‘Shaking Sound’), is a social media and short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration from three seconds to 60 minutes. It can be accessed through a mobile app or through its website.

TikTok’s algorithm, recognized by The New York Times in 2020 as one of the most advanced for shaping user experiences and social interactions, stands out from traditional social media. While typical platforms focus on active user actions like likes, clicks, or follows, TikTok monitors a wider array of behaviors during video viewing. This comprehensive observation is then used to refine its algorithms, as noted by Wired in 2020. Furthermore, The Wall Street Journal in 2021 highlighted its superiority over other social media platforms in understanding users’ preferences and emotions. TikTok’s algorithm leverages this insight to present similar content, creating an environment that users often find hard to disengage from.

On November 6, 2024, Canada ordered TikTok to shut down its offices and subsidiary company (TikTok Technology Canada, Inc.) in the country due to national security concerns, but access to the app was not banned. Users will still be able to access the video app and upload content to it.