TikTok’s Role in Shaping Youth Culture and Identity in the Digital Age

Kya Edwards

SOCI 3370-10

Professor: Sean Dunne

December 6, 2024
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TikTok’s Role in Shaping Youth Culture and Identity in the Digital Age

TikTok has quickly become one of the main platforms for youth culture, changing how

young people engage with media, create different identities, and build social networks. Also after

a deep dive into how TikTok's algorithm structure and viral nature influence young experiences,

and expectations, drawing on sociological theories of media, identity, and social structures it can

be concluded that the youth has been recently experiencing trouble with mental health and

physical image due to this platform. Based on the research, TikTok increases people's creativity

but also increases the expectations that involve their physical appearance, comparing life

milestones, and most fundamentally mental and emotional health. Since the launch of TikTok in

2016, the app owned by the Singaporean company “ByteDance”, TikTok has become one of the

top social media networks around people of all ages and backgrounds while aiding in sharing

news, funny moments, viral dances, and even helping raise money for people struggling to make

ends meet via gifts and fundraisers such as Gofundme. With a skeptic to look into how TikTok

shapes young people's identities and cultures with a particular keen eye into the correlation that

exists between media, social institutions, and personal expression, it looks at how the platform's

design is influenced by what are the social norms, how it shapes social norms, and how these

norms affect those using the program or algorithm.

TikTok’s collaboration with other social media apps and its user friendly interface has

grown extremely popular worldwide, especially with teenagers and young adults, showing the

value it holds in today's media studies. Since its launch, TikTok evolved into a platform for

entertainment and self-expression, allowing users to share glimpses of their daily lives, learn the

dance to viral songs, and express their creativity. Tiktok contrasts from older social media apps

such as facebook and myspace since it uses an algorithm that promotes content based on user
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engagement rather than content creator following (Abidin, 2021). With this transition of how

social media’s algorithm, it has been easier for companies to advertise their products and for

influencers to sponsor products for their audience that goes with their “brand” or “niche”. By the

app “learning’ what the user is interested in, it is easier to fix the algorithm to keep the explore

page’s content relevant to the user. With these targeted ads and content, it has been easier for the

user to also connect with like minded people who share the same interests such as fashion,

anime, fandoms, and sports. With these connections, friendships have flourished despite the

distance by connecting people from all over the world and sharing point of views from all kinds

of cultures.

Because of Tiktok’s unique ability to both reflect and support teenage culture, TikTok has

sociological relevance, as mentioned by Marwick and Boyd (2014), previous research has shown

how social media platforms impact identity and self-presentation. TikTok provides a unique

perspective because of its quick 15 second videos, viral trends and dances, and focus on video

clips that expand the creativity that humankind has to offer. Tiktok aids in the advancement of

the creation, consumption, and expression of cultural traditions, ideas, morals, and behaviors

while still acting as an educational resource. This consumption of social media has helped spread

news and information to a massive audience of millions of people to watch without having to

scroll and read countless articles and news stations. With the app being so versatile in techniques

and editing, it has been easier than ever to captivate the viewers and keep their attention on what

is being expressed in the content.

Tiktok broke the internet with their user friendly interface by keeping the content

engaging with filters and silly sound bites to lip sync to. This focus on comedy and viral songs

has created a kind of environment to scroll for hours and hours in end.. A cycle of feedback that
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changes behavior and identity is created by the platform's dedication to viral content, which

pushes users to continuously improve their personalities to receive more likes, comments, and

follows. Thanks to the app being so easy to use and create, more young adults and teens may

participate in the social media app’s cultural results, diminishing the difficulties that are faced

when editing and adding improvements to their videos and profiles.. Users feel pressured to

imitate particular identities and lifestyles to receive social recognition and approval, just as a

result of this crowdsourcing of content creation (Abidin, 2021).

Tiktok has also held a big role in informing the public and voters of what laws are being

passed and what is going on with politics around the world. With the help of tiktok we have had

a close eye on conflicts in countries such as Congo, Haiti, Palestine, and Ukraine. Due to its

worldwide connectivity, TikTok has a helping hand with important issues such as with political,

cultural, and economic forces. The content that young people on the site produce as well as the

broader media ecosystem that shapes influencers, ads, and popular trends have an impact on

them (Bertrand, 2018). The roles that influencers take has a huge impact on things such as

fashion, laws, leadership scandals, and even the economy. As an example of how social

structures and economic interests are deeply embedded in digital media practices, TikTok's use

of brand promotions, product placements, and commercial collaborations confuses the idea of

"authentic" media production (Marwick, 2013). In the midst of this confusion of what is

authentic or completely made up, this platform has shaped how consumers shop by helping

people all over the world support small businesses and raise awareness for people that have

reached hardship and even has supported creators that raise funds to help those in need.

The impact of TikTok goes well beyond entertainment by shaping the influence that

social media and their creators have on young user’s minds. TikTok's societal impact is seen by
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ways that it allows the user to form their own identities and universal experiences that everyone

faces while growing up. Many young people view TikTok as a place where they can discover

trends that cross borders and different cultures, experiment with their potential identities, and

receive praise from their peers all over the world, while it also being a place for recreation and

enjoyment (Abidin, 2021). Regarding the platform's focus on visuality and performance,

appearance becomes a crucial component of identity building, reinforcing social norms

surrounding gender, beauty, and self-presentation. While the app takes giant leaps to improve

one’s individuality, Tiktok has also been under scrutiny of negatively impacting the confidence

of young adults and teens. According to Marwick and Boyd (2014), the frequency of beauty

trends and the constant gap between influencers might make problems with body image and

mental health worse. According to research, young people who use social media apps like

TikTok tend to suffer from more anxiety, sadness, and loneliness because the desire for approval

from likes and comments may lead to a flawed sense of self-worth (Fardouly et al., 2015). While

scrolling, people all over the world have created a culture of idolizing and platforming

influencers due to their image despite not having a naturally occurring appearance. Society has

made it a normal occurrence to modify one’s body with botox, nose jobs, and recently the viral

brazilian butt lift that has shattered the confidence of many that yearn to attain that physical

appearance. This observation has been detrimental to the mental health of young viewers and has

made being insecure even more common than it already was, which affects behavior and even

harmful habits.

The algorithm of TikTok displays positive and negative behaviors and trends that align

with upheld cultural and societal norms, often promoting content that reflects mainstream

morals and views. Consequently, social norms and exclusionary behaviors may be reinforced,
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narrowing the spectrum of identities and experiences that are showcased. Thus, TikTok's impact

on society is double sided: it can positively influence young adults and teens to express their

individuality while simultaneously pressuring them to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty

and success. With the content being broadcasted on these influencer’s platforms, the youth has

been holding unrealistic standards to life by believing every milestone in life has a time limit or

deadline where that is far from the truth.

TikTok has emerged as a significant platform in shaping millennial culture and identity,

bringing positive and negative impacts. It offers young individuals a unique opportunity to

engage with media creatively and explore new forms of self-expression. However, it also

heightens social comparison, enforces trend conformity, and increases pressure relating to

appearance. The sociological importance of TikTok lies in its ability to reflect the broader

societal systems that affect the identity, behavior, and cultural production of the young

generation today.

In all, social media as a whole has had a negative and positive impact on society all

around the world. In the short span that we have had these apps and websites, there has been

connections that do not know distance and has created long lasting connections between

individuals that have aided in spreading news and information around the world. With targeted

advertisements, product reviews, and views that expand across morals and politics, it has never

been easier to consume information that has not always been readily available and has helped the

economy and society as a whole. While positive impacts have been seen, there is also been an

epidemic of worsening mental health and self image. While social media has aided in giving

people a platform to express individuality and identity, Tiktok has had a huge impact on body

dysmorphia and has discouraged people that have less than the influencers with a bigger
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platform. With all of the opportunities expressed, Tik tok will forever have a lasting impression

on the users it serves that will go down in history.

Bibliography

● Abidin, C. (2021). Mapping Internet Celebrity on TikTok: Exploring Attention Economies

and Visibility Labours. Journal of Digital Media & Society, 23(1), 56-72.

● Bertrand, M. (2018). TikTok and the Rise of Short-Form Video: Examining the

Relationship Between Social Media and Youth Culture. Journal of Social Media Studies,

5(3), 143-158.

● Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social

comparisons on social media: The impact of Facebook on young women's body image

concerns and mood. Body Image, 13, 38-45.

● Marwick, A. E. (2013). The Public/Private Divide: Social Media and the Politics of the

Self. Journal of Communication, 63(2), 249-268.

● Marwick, A. E., & Boyd, D. (2014). It's complicated: The social lives of networked teens.

Yale University Press.