Written by TikTok (Digital)
The social media platform, TikTok, was initially released in 2016 by the company ByteDance (Douyin). The platform was previously named Musical.ly and was used similarly where people would make lip-syncing videos and upload them. Musical.ly had more than 90 million users while TikTok had 1 billion users reported in 2021.
Musical.ly was similar in the sense that Musers (app users) would be able to post fifteen-second video clips where they would do dances and lip-synch to entertain users. Musical.ly was launched in 2014 and became a popular social media app. The accounts that were on Musical.ly were merged over to TikTok and “Musers” who became famous on Musical.ly were moved over to TikTok.
Due to TikTok becoming very popular, many brands use it to market their products. As creators get more followers, companies will send them things to review and post ads for them so that it reaches a wide audience range. There are a few campaigns that were successful on TikTok listed above in the picture. Having over 1 billion followers has allowed people to market their products to a large audience and gain a greater chance of going viral for something posted.
Due to the increase in today’s society using social media and technology, TikTok has its own role in this history. Technology is used for just about everything and people need to adapt to keep up with current trends. The app is able to get people hooked on watching a variety of videos while also giving people a chance to go viral and make a name for themselves. If a user gains a certain amount of followers they can join the Creator Fund which gives them money based on how many views they get. Users also have the chance of being sponsored by companies if they have proven they can sell the product to their audience. There is no doubt that social media plays a major role in most people’s lives nowadays which is easily accessible on any smartphone.
When Musical.ly first came out, I would go on it and make lip-synching videos with my friends for fun. At the time that TikTok came out, I wasn’t aware of it until the end of 2019 and didn’t become a user until about 2020 when the COVID pandemic first started. As I grew bored at home, I found myself going on TikTok, looking at dance videos, and even making some myself. It was somewhere where people could be creative and have fun when there wasn’t much else to do. As TikTok kept growing, I found myself less interested in making dance videos and more interested in using TikTok as a source of information. I go on TikTok when I am looking for new outfit ideas, food recipe ideas, reviews about skincare, and book reviews. The app has tailored my “For You” page to include all of the things that I am interested and I tend to find myself scrolling through the videos longer than I want to sometimes. I think it is important to understand the platforms that are used in today’s society and how it has shaped the culture as a whole.
New Croton Dam (Physical)
The Croton Gorge Park is located in Cortlandt, New York which is home to the New Croton Dam. The Old Croton Dam was finished being built in 1842 to supply water to NYC and it was the first large masonry built in the United States. The New Croton Dam began to be built in 1893 and was completed in 1906 in order to supply more water due to the City’s increasing population. The Old Croton Dam was submerged underwater while the New Croton Dam was built about three miles downstream from it.
The New Croton Dam is an important part of history because it has helped to establish a water supply to New York City over time with the increasing population. Without having a water supply, people would not be able to settle. Many people visit the New Croton Dam and have picnics, go on hikes, and/or just admire the view. The New Croton Dam is located in the Croton Gorge Park which has become a place where I go to “take a break” from reality and enjoy nature. As I mentioned in my previous post, this is the place where I started my photography hobby, where I got engaged, and where I go to enjoy time with friends and family.
TikTok is such an interesting platform with a lot of buzz. I haven’t been much of a direct user but I do find myself getting lost in TikTok videos that are posted on Instagram videos or Facebook. I have a little bit of a hard time seeing its usage in the context of education but I haven’t really looked up recipes or outfit ideas so maybe I should check that out. While a “high tech” form of learning, it actually says something rather simple, that is that people tend to prefer videos as a medium for information similar to watching TV or listening to podcasts!
I agree, I think to an extent it can be used in the context of education however, just hearing someone explain something doesn’t necessarily mean it is true; it all depends on what you are looking for. I have heard that many people don’t have the app but see the videos on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. I think that a lot of apps are evolving to have a similar type of way to share videos because of how many people prefer it!