Why I Deleted TikTok

TikTok has become a staple of the internet. People can spend hours watching videos and being exposed to random stuff. People are making thousands of money doing the most ridiculous things or going viral for the craziest things. It’s crazy how far people will go just for a few clicks and followers. Against all the current trends and fashion, I deleted TikTok on my phone. I can see how the platform has shaped people’s lives and has been a backbone for many people during lockdown. TikTok maybe no different to other platforms, but there’s something about the site that gives me the creeps.

I didn’t enjoy the platform

TikTok focuses on short clips and tries to lure you onto their app by scrolling down for more content, The content is endless, which makes is a marketers paradise. It’s the perfect working place for a social influencers. It’s a place for the young to boast about their extravagant lives and escapism. TikTok has also been a place where people have been able to express themselves and give free speech.

I’ve seen people spent countless hours with their eyes glued on TikTok. I am being told I have to have TikTok if I want to succeed as a human being. That’s when I knew this was not the place for me. To dedicate hours a day for videos is pointless to me.

There’s plenty of reasons why I don’t like the platform. I don’t miss the app at all. No more thought control. No more scaremongering. There’s no such thing as a safe internet.

It kept pushing me to watch things I don’t care about

When I did get the app, I kept getting notifications for things I did not care about. From the hideous adverts, to cringefests and stupid stuff. For me it ruins the immersion. Though some of the videos I like, you can see on other platforms anyway. I hate being pushed with horrible politics and misinformation in my head.

I don’t want to be watching a 30 stone man twerk when I am scrolling at cute cat videos. I don’t need anymore 99p bottles that are actually £8.99 by the tI,e you checkout. So many scams on TikTok that aren’t being addressed.

Profiting from mental health

The problem I have with this platform and some of the people’s online personas is the profit being made from mental health issues. It is clear some of the TikTok celebrities are clearly unwell and are a great risk to themselves and others. The delusions are insane. I’ve seen people rant about how everything is racist and offensive. People are walking on eggshells cause they are afraid to speak their truth.

People of all ages come on TikTok, but I am concerned for the naive who will believe everything that they see or hear on social media. Some will use any tactic neseccary. They bully and make people question themselves and believe everything they do is wrong. Why should people be punished for acts committed by ancestors years ago.

The glorification of anorexia and obesity irks me. Neither are and will never be healthy and yet it’s splattered on every fashion magazine. To make matters worse they gaslight by claiming they are promoting diversity. If that was the case, then there is no need to bash mother group of people to raise another.

All these shenanigans are taking away the rights and voices of the real people who just want to share their stories and live their lives. Since deleting the app, I have never looked back. I feel like my attention span has improved and I enjoy platforms like Vocal that stimulate my mind. There’s a lot of videos of other users saying why they quit TikTok.