Blog Post #6

I am looking at the innovation of TikTok through the lens of Diffusion Theory. Diffusion Theory “seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread. The theory was popularized by Everett Rogers in his book Diffusion of Innovations, first published in 1962. Rogers argues that diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the participants in a social system. The origins of the diffusion of innovations theory are varied and span multiple disciplines”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations). 

TikTok is a social media platform that has existed since late 2019 or early 2020. “Since its launch, TikTok has become one of the world's most popular social media platforms, using recommendation algorithms that were better than alternative apps at connecting content creators with new audiences. Many of its users are young and part of Generation Z. The popularity of TikTok has allowed viral trends in food and music to take off and increase the platform's cultural impact worldwide”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TikTok).

TikTok was able to catch on and spread easily because of viral trends. “In the beginning, users could choose and follow the music to disguise that they were singing the song, then share it with friends. This simple trend ignited a lot of users' imitation. Gradually, the app spawned viral trends and attracted more users into the big social app system”(Here's Why The TikTok App Is Taking Over Other App Downloads - Digital Crew).

There are a few downsides to the app and its popularity. There is a downside to online hatred. People think just because they can be anonymous that they can be cruel. That’s with all online platforms. But TikTok showed how damaging people can be. Creators on the app who are very popular get a lot of hate. People will comment about how they look, and what they don’t like about the person, and others will send death threats. This causes a lot of creators to take a break from the app, or post less due to their mental health taking a nosedive. 

Of course, there are always upsides. TikTok has allowed over two billion people to connect. People can post whatever they want and it will find the people who also like the same things. You can learn how to cook, and dance, learn more about the government, hear what people want and don’t like, participate in trends, watch and create “get ready with me” videos, and more. There is something for everyone.