A&E: TikTok allows young people to have a voice and speak out

Olivia Stafford|November 2, 2020

Some members of Gen Z may find their voice through TikTok.

TikTok, what began as an app for entertainment, has turned into a place where younger generations can have a voice. For some, the app grew increasingly toxic when creators who did not deserve an audience were given platforms. TikTok has raised awareness for many issues, but President Trump attempted to remove it from the app store on multiple occasions.

Senior Brianna Flores believes TikTok has given many people a platform to spread awareness on important topics. According to Flores, Gen Z finally had a place to voice their opinions and collaborate.

“I feel like Gen Z uses TikTok as somewhere to make new friends and spread positivity,” Flores said. “Most importantly, TikTok gave Gen Z a voice to educate others on issues going on in the world right now, which is very much needed.”

Like Flores, freshman Yodal Gebrehiwet also believes that TikTok has become a platform where people are comfortable voicing their opinions.

“We’ve (Gen Z) definitely become more aware of social issues because of the app, and I guess we’ve found a safe place to express ourselves,” Gebrehiwet said.

Although many feel the app has provided positivity and awareness, some feel TikTok has become toxic. According to Flores, there are some creators who do not deserve the platform they have. Some creators are racist, appropriate cultures and prey on younger kids.

“I think it could be (toxic) at times, but that is usually when a popular creator does something that proves they shouldn’t have a platform,” Flores said.

Since TikTok’s growth in popularity, there have been several false alarms as the Trump administration attempts to remove it from the app store. Junior Ronald Celino believes that if TikTok were removed, it would take away many user’s platforms, hindering their ability to speak out on important issues.

“I think the app is very important when it comes to varying people’s voices being heard. This includes politics, religion, finances and education,” Celino said. “By taking away the app, many people who use their platforms to spread helpful information or their own opinions will immediately lose their followings.”

Flores also believes the removal of TikTok would take away Gen Z’s platform to raise awareness and discuss social issues.

“Taking away the app takes away thousands of platforms that are used to spread messages. These messages make an impact on different movements and lives,” Flores said. “Especially with the algorithm, these videos spread faster to larger groups of people than any other social media.”