Teens are dancing, acting, and setting off their social media careers with the popularity of TikTok. The hype of the app and the diversity of videos on the platform have acquired over 1.4 billion downloads from across the world. Users are collecting hundreds of thousands, if not millions of followers from videos created in their living room. With the rise of social media influencers and online celebrities in the past decade, is TikTok setting a new foundation for teens to have a desire to become internet famous? Let’s Tik Talk about it. 

TikTok was born in August of 2018, after being rebranded from its previous name of Musical.ly. The app has gotten a surge of popularity in the past few months, many associating it with Vine, another app that became popular in 2013 for its six second video format. However, TikTok is taking the internet by storm in a way that no other app has done before. It’s so easy to open the app, watch some TikToks, and suddenly an hour has passed by. What separates TikTok from other media platforms is that the creators seem like everyday people rather than distant celebrities. 

Senior and avid TikTok user Joyce Yu said “What I like about [TikTok] is that a lot of people post about experiences that I also go through, so I feel like I do somewhat build a connection with them because of how relatable they can be.”

This element of the app makes it seem like maybe becoming TikTok famous isn’t so hard after all. It’s inspiring teenagers to create and post their own videos showcasing their creative abilities. Senior Pallavi Battina got a taste of TikTok popularity after posting a video that gained over 487,000 views. The video guides the reader through a painting she created, with music in the background to complement the piece. 

When asked about how she felt when her video got popular, Battina said, “I got a lot of really nice comments about my artwork and people asking to see more, so I feel inspired to make more.” 

Some creators hit the TikTok jackpot, turning them into overnight sensations with the spotlight pointed at them. The most notable example of this is Charli D’Amelio, a 15 year old girl who has amassed over ten million followers for her dance videos. With this fame, she has been able to befriend fellow TikTok stars, participate in meetups with fans, and even become a sponsor for Eos lip balm. These are some of the many factors that make being TikTok famous seem so appealing for everyday teenagers. 

However, users should be wary of their intentions when posting videos on the platform and not be lured in by the desire to be recognized. They should post videos because they enjoy it, not because they want to become popular or famous. A study done by the University of Rochester found that individuals who had intrinsic and personal goals often lived happier lives while individuals with extrinsic goals, such as fame or recognition, often felt more shame and unfulfilled. So if you have plans to make TikToks, just be sure that you are doing it for the right reasons.