TikTok users everywhere are using the algorithm to rise to fame. Is it exploiting a social media-obsessed generation or just using the resources at our fingertips?
As we have all seen, TikTok has demonstrated the ability to impact our lives on a national (and international) scale. In fact, we can recall the actions of “Gen-Z TikTok” (and K-Pop stans), who managed to buy thousands of tickets to former President Trump’s rally as a prank back in June 2020. But other users are using TikTok’s algorithm to showcase their talents, and in other cases, jumpstart their careers.
With TikTok having such a wide capability for manufacturing an algorithm, the spread of videos on the platform is momentary. A video can easily land on the For You Page of hundreds within seconds of being posted. With sharing and commenting features, the algorithm learns that there is a specific video gaining popularity, which shoots it onto the FYP’s of thousands of other users. As users have become aware of this feature and how it works, it is incredibly common to ask watchers to boost their videos as much as possible in order to gain popularity. This is where many musicians have gained their following.
Some artists, such as Claire Rosinkrantz or Powfu, have completely launched their careers on TikTok. For instance, Powfu’s song “death bed (coffee for your head)” went viral in early 2020, which skyrocketed Powfu and his lofi beats to the iTunes charts. Rosinkrantz’s “Backyard Boy” took over TikTok with its relatability and poppy sound in summer of 2020. Both of these artists, after posting promotional videos and gaining rapid views, have managed to change their professional lives forever with the click of the “Post” button. TikTok shows us just how easy (and difficult) it can be to go viral in the 21st century, and how we can use it to benefit our occupations.