by Madeleine Chan, Opinions Editor

I don’t have TikTok. So it says something that I’m still very impacted by the constant innovation that comes from it. Pandemic boredom being funnelled into the app has only illuminated how much talent and creativity youth have to share with the world. 

The creation of elaborate narratives, green-screened worlds of wonder, and clever uses of video effects are just a few of the innovations I’ve seen in TikTok videos posted on other platforms. Not to mention that the practice of captioning videos has also grown drastically from these youth who are more mindful of accessibility. The fact that entire musicals are being written, sung, and designed through one–minute videos by these youngsters solidified this trend of ingenuity. One of these musicals being the Ratatouille musical which was recently turned into a one-night, star-studded fundraiser that garnered over $1.9 million in donations.

Don’t get me wrong, TikTok is still a social media cesspool. They’ve removed content from “ugly, poor, and disabled” users, have failed to protect children, and potentially have large breaches in security. Aside from these and other long-contested dangers of social media, the spotlight on creativity from youth still pierces through any darkness.

The TikTok app itself doesn’t really deserve any credit for this light, in truth. Without it, I’m sure there would be another app, another digital method, that this creativity would seep into. As of now though, it is the platform where youth are making their voices heard and minds seen. 

Watching these videos, I imagine these creators are getting into video design, editing, production, and aspiring to create bigger productions. I see comedic kids planning their first stand-up show. I just feel all of the potential that youth have always had being let loose, ready to be used for something greater. So, maybe, I should get TikTok.