How TikTok failed to make the case for itself

The rise of TikTok over the last two years has been nothing short of meteoric. It’s become one of the biggest social media platforms in the world, with over 800 million users and growing. But for all its success, TikTok still struggles to make the case for itself.

TikTok’s appeal lies in its wide range of content for a variety of audiences, from teens and college-age users to working professionals and even the elderly. It’s a platform for creativity and engagement, and its short format quickly caught on. However, despite this, TikTok has failed to make a strong case for itself in the eyes of regulators, politicians, and parents.

The main issue is that people are unsure of what exactly TikTok is used for. It’s seen by many as an app used mostly to make goofy lip-sync videos, and not as an actual platform to share opinion and engage with a wide range of topics and ideas. This is a mistake that TikTok has failed to address, leaving it open to criticism and even outright bans in certain countries, such as India and the United States.

There have also been concerns that some content and users on the app are promoting controversial topics, such as racism and extremism. In response, TikTok has implemented various policies and procedures to ensure that such content is removed and that users who violate these policies are suspended or banned. However, this hasn’t been enough to convince wary parents and governments that the platform is a safe environment for their children.

The other major issue is privacy. TikTok has come under fire for allegedly transferring user data to Chinese-owned servers and for its lack of transparency with regard to the type of data that is collected. This lack of trust has left the app vulnerable to further criticism, particularly in countries that are wary of China, such as the United States.

Finally, TikTok hasn’t done a great job at explaining its content moderation protocols and policies. It’s a lot harder to explain a content moderation system than it is to explain the type of content that is allowed on the platform. This has led to confusion among users and further distrust from regulators.

Ultimately, TikTok’s failure to make the case for itself has put the app in jeopardy. It has become a target for scrutiny from regulators, politicians, and parents, and it still struggles to win over these groups. Until these issues are addressed, TikTok will continue to remain in the shadows and won’t be able to reach its full potential.