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Abstract

TikTok is a video sharing social network app owned by Beijing-based internet technology company ByteDance that claims to be, “The leading destination for short-form mobile video” with a mission to “inspire creativity and bring joy." It is often associated with short dancing videos, lip-syncing, or comedy videos, but as more people join this platform, the content being created has progressed beyond this narrow focus. Notably, some of the app’s content creators have started providing their audience with information on a variety of topics, even going as far as to create a profile associated with their area of expertise, marketing their videos as informational or educational. The design of the app promotes interactivity with these educational creators and allows users to find content that sparks their curiosity. These content creators have become increasingly aware of the responsibility they have to an often young and impressionable audience, and walk the fine line between amateur and professional while making an effort to craft their identity and their brand. As the app evolves, it seems to have become inadvertently designed to accommodate such educational content, whether this is the designers' intention - still, content creators find value in continuing to pass along their knowledge.

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