This is what we don't want to see on TikTok in 2023
It took a while, but finally it's here: I'm starting to appreciate TikTok more and more. I still don't post anything myself, but I now understand that there's more to see than just videos of vain teenagers (who look like they're twenty) dancing in their living rooms.
What do I like to watch on TikTok? Mainly videos of easy recipes and other handy life hacks. Suffering from a hangover? TikTok knows how to prevent that. Can't seem to save money? TikTok tells you how to do that better. Fantastic, right? This is exactly why I'm becoming a bigger fan of the platform.
However, I can still get incredibly annoyed by certain videos that I come across. Therefore, I propose to ban the following TikTok trends in 2023:
1. Awkward and uncomfortable dance videos
During the first lockdown, I could overlook this, as we were incredibly bored and had nothing better to do. But now we can really stop with those terrible dance videos that are mainly recorded by people who can't dance. Not to mention all the tunes that stick in your head for days. Do you remember the ‘Jiggle Jiggle’ and ‘Savage’ challenge? That was really annoying, right?
2. People giving medical advice
I definitely think all risk-free hacks are worth trying, but I see just a bit too often that people pretend to be medical experts on TikTok and give all sorts of advice about health. These hacks usually go viral and people blindly follow them, for example about what to eat in the morning for smooth skin or which miracle cure to apply to your head. Often, those golden tips turn out not to help everyone or even cause complaints. So be a little careful and take some medical advice with a grain of salt.
3. Parents filming their very young children
TikTok has a minimum age limit for creating an account for a reason. Yet many parents film their young offspring for challenges and then share this with the whole world on TikTok. But just like on Instagram (and all other forms of social media), I'm not a fan of doing this casually. Your child may not mind at the moment, but who knows, it might not be appreciated in a few years. No matter how proud you are and how many likes your cute little one generates, this is something to think about more carefully.
4. Dangerous challenges among teenagers
Unfortunately, dangerous challenges are still taking place among young people on TikTok. For example, last year a crazy challenge went viral, where young people were encouraged to eat laundry pods. Hello, is anyone there? Many parents (rightly) complained about the infamous ‘blackout challenge’ last year, and unfortunately, several young people have died from it this year as well. In this challenge, participants try to hold their breath for as long as possible. This is really bizarre, right? Hopefully, the platform will be much sharper on these kinds of dangerous trends in 2023.
