What Grinds Our Gears: TikTok’s constantly-changing layout

It’s time to decide, TikTok

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A Tik-Tok screen on a phone
PHOTO: Ivan Radic / Flickr

By: Dani Santos, SFU Student

Change isn’t always good. Especially when that “change” happens every couple of weeks. 

To me, TikTok is a form of escape. An escape should be something that provides comfort, joy, and familiarity. But how am I supposed to feel a sense of familiarity when TikTok’s layout changes every time I open it!? 

TikTok has experimented with different kinds of feeds their users can choose from: Friends, Following, For You, Explore, Shop, and even a STEM feed. 

Sure, it’s nice to have all these options to choose from, but why do some occasionally disappear and reappear? Sometimes they even move and switch around different spots. It’s disorienting! There have been moments where my mind has been conditioned to press the “Friends” button at the bottom of my screen for it to have been moved to the top and I end up pressing the “Shop” button instead and it grinds. My. Gears.

I just wish TikTok could just decide on a layout and stick to it for as long as possible (or at least for long enough for users to get used to one).

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