TikTok is one of the most used apps in the US. When TikTok got banned on January 18th, 2025, I realized just how much TikTok was a part of our everyday lives without us even knowing.

For example, when the app first stopped working, I kept finding myself needing to scroll. We scroll so much now, it’s like an addiction and muscle memory we need to feed. If our thumbs are not scrolling, we can feel like a drug addict without their fix. There are even people whose hands have dents in them from holding their phone and scrolling too much.Sometimes the effect of social media apps can be negative,but in other instances it’s just a sign that we are changing as people.

These are ten ways TikTok has transformed us as a generation.

It Keeps Us Awake and It Keeps Us in Bed

I know I can speak for my generation when I say the first thing many of us do is go on our phones when we first wake up. By going on TikTok when I first wake up (which isn’t all the time), I find myself not wanting to get up and start my day, procrastinating even things important to me like my morning routine. It also affects when I’m trying to sleep. Too scared I’ll miss out on something or programmed by muscle memory, I don’t want to stop scrolling. I find myself staying up later than I need to, and now I am messing up my sleep schedule. In this way, TikTok is getting in the way of our healthy sleep.

It’s Our Version of Google

TikTok has an easy way of allowing you to find information. From looking up the latest “Baddies” episode to learning about foreign countries, their leaders and politics, I rarely catch myself using Google for information. I feel TikTok is more of an authentic resource (even if it isn’t). For example, if I want to know what it’s like visiting Hawaii, a brief search of what Google would say would say “A blend of natural beauty, a relaxed island lifestyle, and opportunities for adventure and relaxation.” Instead, TikTok would show me videos of people in Hawaii or their personal experience visiting, or even bring up how we should stop visiting Hawaii so much and start protecting its land. Now I’m not saying Google has gone completely useless  or even bad, rather than replaced. We have got so used to learning everything on a screen or by a video where now reading seems so much more tedious. I’ve learned so much through TikTok, even things you wouldn’t learn in school.You can literally just scroll and come across an informational documentary. For this reason Tiktok could be an app way more than just watching videos.I could see TikTok staying around for a long time.

Tik Tok Runs the Music Industry 

TikTok has a big impact on the music industry.  It’s like our generation’s radio, which can either make or break songs. If an artist’s song isn’t on TikTok, it’s not a “hit.” Doechii, Oliva Rodrigo, and Tyla are three major artists who blew up on TikTok and are now winning Grammys. You can even discover more underground artists like 2hollis and Nettspend. TikTok has its way of making old popular songs that came generations before us popular again. Artists like Frank Sinatra, Amy Whinehouse, EryKah Badu, The Cranberries  all gained a new generation of fans just from TikTok. It also helps new artists get discovered. Some artists are even lucky enough if  people on TikTok turn their song into a viral dance or sound that people use. So not only does TikTok control us, it also controls the music industry.

Our Language Comes From TikTok 

“Sharky.”

”Today drained me.”

”SIDE EYEEE.”

”Girl math.” 

“MY SHAYLAAA.”

These are all phrases you have heard before if you’re on TikTok just as much as I am. Most of the phrases/sounds we got from TikTok are phrases we now use in our everyday vocabulary. Saying these phrases to anyone without TikTok would just not make sense and sound very weird. How do I explain to someone without TikTok that me paying for clothes with cash instead of a card is girlmath? Or If I’m missing my friend and say “my Shaylaa,” they’ll just look at me crazy and wonder who Shayla is. Now because of TikTok this generation has a whole new set of phrases and words that have different meanings.

Whatever Is Trending Is In 

My generation is one of the most eager to get the latest “thing.” We are a very  materialistic generation. We worship clothes more expensive than most of our paychecks, and if we don’t have certain things, we are seen as “less than,” “not in,” or even just “corny.” I think social media, especially TikTok, played a major role in this.  We see videos of people giving us “halls” of things they just brought or were even sent by a company to advertise for it. TikTok decides whether something is cool or not. Like Lululemon. Everyone wants a Lulu set now, but don’t let people on TikTok catch you in skinny jeans because, according to TikTok, this generation hates them.

Our Beliefs And Views Comes From The Comments 

TikTok has a weird way of changing your views. For example, I could watch this video with the creator saying their certain views on a topic with which  I completely disagree, but as soon as I see the comments agreeing, I catch myself now agreeing with the comment. It is something I can’t explain, but I know for a fact I’m not the only one who is affected by this. I think this can have a negative effect leading people to think thoughts that are not their own or even adopting toxic views on a certain topic or community.

You Get To See Stuff ATM 

TikTok is like no other app, and I think that’s why our generation loves it so much. Starting off, you build your own FYP (For You Page) with whatever videos you engage with more or whatever you look up directly . You can watch “live” whenever you want. “Clips” run most of TikTok videos.These are short clips of a bigger video or movie, leading you to want to look up and watch the other “clips” that make up the whole.

With TikTox new feature you can shop online from food to shoes. If something is popular on the TikTok shop, videos of it go viral. You see someone making a video of what you’re feeling or you went through the exact same thing.

You Become More Gullible 

Even though you get to decide what community you’re a part of on TikTok, it doesn’t mean there won’t be negative hateful videos. I see this a lot with the older generation on TikTok where their belief and stuff comes from TikTok and the comments and what they learn off there. It’s easy to see the smaller picture or one half of a story about things on TikTok especially with clipping “clip farming” . So now the older generation is engaging with people who might not know what they’re talking about or just coming from a place of hate.

             Causes Bad Attention Span 

          Like most social media apps and just your phone in general it has negative side effects to your brain. TikTok being the main one, sense TikTok is set up where you have to continue to scroll from different types of videos and topics. Also the videos can only be for a specific amount of time essentially one of the causes of a bad attention span. TikTok is full of constant stimulation fillers, like the comments,likes and short videos that can make it harder for users to focus on normal things as simple as interacting with someone else. Studies have proven to show that TikTok causes a bad attention span. Also I think this bad attention span has to do with how TikTok keeps us awake and in bed,  it feeds our need to feel the sensation of scrolling.

   Effects the way we interact with each other

          We are so used to interacting online now especially after COVID happened. Now with TikTok as popular as it is we treat each other based on things people say on TikTok about the topic or even our language and vocabulary come from TikTok. We sometimes even communicate threw sending TikTok videos or repost videos with hidden message about how we feel hoping someone will see it. Most of the time peoples only interaction with other people is liking their comment on a TikTok video. I would say we started to learned the right and wrong ways to interact with each other off of TikTok.