TikTok Trends & Dangers To Look Out For
Ready to follow the latest TikTok trends? Read this article first to understand the dangers of sharing content and personal information on social media.
Considering the strong grip social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram or YouTube have on us, it’s difficult to imagine a new site could penetrate this circle with such force ever again. However, a new platform is currently taking the world by storm, and it’s called TikTok.
From the looks of it, TikTok’s pull is incredibly strong. It addresses the needs of its community extraordinarily well, hence its ever-rising popularity among young followers who love to both create and watch viral content.
But what’s this platform all about? What kind of videos does it host, and how do they go viral? What are the TikTok trends and the TikTok dangers the average user needs to know about?
We’ll answer all these questions in today’s article. So let’s jump in and take a closer look at what TikTok is and what you can expect by joining this platform.
What Can You Expect To Find On TikTok?
TikTok is very similar to the former Vine app in the sense that they both encourage creativity within specific time limits.
Whereas Vine users could create videos that lasted no longer than 6 seconds, TikTok has a wider timeframe, ranging from 15 to 60 seconds. This specific timeframe formula proved to be a winner, as there are now plenty of TikTok trends keeping the users coming back for more.
TikTok is also similar to the former Musical.ly app, a platform for amateur music videos, with a few more features added. Still, what you can find right now on TikTok is the same — music videos centred around dance, sounds, transitions or hashtags.
What you’ll notice when opening an account on TikTok is that the app focuses primarily on entertainment and fun.
Another thing to know about TikTok is that it is linked to Instagram. When you want to post something on TikTok, you can do it straight from Instagram without having to switch between the two platforms.
What About The TikTok Trends?
TikTok groups its trends into categories, so what may be trending on Fashion TikTok may not be at all what’s trending on Tech Tiktok. Followers have the option to subscribe to the trends that interest them the most and then receive notifications on new content posted.
Based on these features, it’s safe to say that TikTok is an ideal platform for creators who want to produce music videos and build a fan base rather quickly. TikTok fans know that a new challenge can arise at any time and become viral. This expectation creates the domino effect behind viral videos…everyone simply wants to become a part of the wave.
Who Does TikTok Target?
When it comes to TikTok trends, users now have a myriad of features, songs, and fonts to choose from that can help them make their videos more engaging and create a style that’s easily recognizable around the world.
The timeframe imposed by TikTok for its users’ videos is perfect for those with short attention spans, a staple for gen Z. Life nowadays is on fast forward, and that’s why TikTok is mostly popular among adolescents who want to mingle with like-minded youngsters. It’s how influencers get born — and how marketing keeps evolving.
What About Using TikTok Safely?
It’s easy to get swapped in the current of entertainment, popular videos, and successful teens. But online safety should always be considered. And even though technology evolves by the minute, the gap between how far connectivity has gone and the means we have to protect our online identity is getting wider.
Following the latest TikTok trends should not be in the way of our online safety, regardless of how much fun we have when surfing the platform. The time we spend on social media dictates the amount of personal information we share, and as a consequence, what we are exposing ourselves to.
Never forget that all social media websites collect our sensitive data and share it with external third parties. Most of the time, social media users don’t even know where their personal information ends and how it’s managed.
What Are The Dangers Of TikTok?
We tend to talk so much about TikTok trends, but nobody really mentions the dangers of using this platform. While users can expect some degree of data violation when provided with a free service they can use anytime, they still need to pay attention to hidden security traps.
So what are the dangers of TikTok all users should know about?
TikTok Is Very Vulnerable Security-wise
Security specialists have investigated the app in-depth and have found several security threats. In fact, cybercriminals have also eyed this platform countless times since it offers access to so much personal information.
One popular technique they employ is to send TikTok users a text message. When answered, this enables the hacker to enter their personal accounts.
TikTok Collects Plenty Of Data
TikTok trends don’t just land on your screen by magic, and neither does the content you receive. TikTok works by tracking everything you’re watching and creating an algorithm that later enables you to watch more of what you like.
The platform also gets to know about the kind of phone you’re using, operating system, location, and contact list. What many people don’t know is TikTok also collects data from messages you’ve just composed. Even if you haven’t sent them.
User Data Can Be Taken Advantage Of In The Future
Although it can’t be proven that TikTok shares its users’ data with third parties, the threat is still real considering the scandals surrounding Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.
When creating videos to join the latest TikTok trends, you may create a precedent for unnecessary data exposure. All the videos of yourself posted on TikTok can later be used to manipulate you through machine learning development and artificial intelligence.
And while there aren’t any serious security threats at the time being, you can never know when TikTok decides to change privacy settings for its users. To avoid unnecessary risks on social media, we recommend you post in moderation and always consider your professional and personal image.
Before you overshare and get too enthusiastic with TikTok trends and any other online trends for that matter, make sure the platform you’re engaging with is just as invested as you are in online privacy.
The Takeaway
Internet privacy is more than just the current hot topic at the world’s round table. Internet privacy is an important element of personal identity, one we tend to brush over all too easily these days.
TikTok trends or the latest video from a well-respected TikTok creator are not good enough reasons to bypass your online safety. TikTok is a great platform that you can definitely use and enjoy, but its dangers are an everyday reality and need to be known.
Acknowledging this issue and being informed on its implications is the first stepping stone. After all, it’s up to you what amount of personal information you want social media platforms to receive about you.
However, without making a mountain out of a molehill, it’s important to understand that, at the time being, TikTok is not better or worse in terms of online safety than other giants out there, such as Facebook or Google.
We already live in a world where online privacy is quite relative and changes with the season, so social media platform users should already be aware of this, regardless of the platform of their choice.
To learn more about the dangers of surfing the web and how to protect your internet privacy, contact us today and we can discuss more.
In the meantime, if you enjoyed this article, you might also like:
