The TikTok app enjoys widespread popularity, especially as it has become the primary platform influencing the most critical segment of society—the younger generation, including children and teenagers—thanks to its diverse entertainment content. This raises a red flag about the potential exploitation of this demographic, which may lead to an obsession with fame and making money—often the main goals of using TikTok. So, how is the TikTok generation connected to future family upbringing?
Psychologists have categorized the needs associated with media and social networks into five groups:
Studies have shown that the primary motive for using TikTok is achieving fame and stardom, along with generating the highest possible income, often through short videos with diverse content that may contradict societal customs, traditions, and norms.
The main goal of many TikTok creators is to captivate the audience’s attention and satisfy viewers, even if the content lacks scientific value or opposes moral principles and cultural values. Thousands of videos flood the platform, especially targeting children and teenagers. On average, this age group spends no less than three hours a day on TikTok, a duration sufficient to categorize their behavior as TikTok addiction.
Other motivations exist alongside the pursuit of fame, such as entertainment, escaping boredom, forming new friendships, and following celebrities. However, all of these factors significantly increase the likelihood of teenagers being exposed to inappropriate content. With a lack of parental supervision, the situation can escalate. So what is the connection between the TikTok generation and future family upbringing?
Clearly, based on the aforementioned points, there is a link between the TikTok generation and future family upbringing. Today’s child is tomorrow’s parent and will be responsible for establishing a family. So, what can we expect from a generation whose innocence and spontaneity have been compromised by exposure to inappropriate video content? And what can we expect when some parents exploit their own children to generate income, violating the privacy of childhood in the process? Teenagers end up mimicking older individuals, exaggerating emotions, being dazzled by trivial matters, and imitating dance moves and behaviors without modesty or shame.
This is a double-edged situation. On one side, the negative impact of TikTok on adolescents can alter their personalities and behaviors, lower their academic performance due to constant distraction, and result in a generation that is irresponsible, uneducated, and lacking in social communication skills. This wasted energy may lead to the creation of families based on indifference and irrationality—families rooted in ongoing anxiety and tension.
On the other hand, there are those who use TikTok constructively. It’s important to note that the app also contains high-quality educational and entertaining videos—such as cooking tutorials and informative content—that can be beneficial. TikTok can be used for digital marketing and online learning. If the hours spent on the app are mindful and purposeful, it can help cultivate a conscious, educated generation capable of building families that embrace the present, enhance their skills and communication abilities, and share productive ideas that uplift society toward a brighter future.
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