If you find yourself having to ask this question, odds are you are too old to be on TikTok—the Chinese video-sharing social networking service. The app, created in 2016, has recently been rising to steady fame among teenagers worldwide. It is used to create short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos. While you may be too old to film yourself doing a dumb-ass dance, no one can stop you from enjoying those very dances offered on the app.
TikTok, owned by Beijing-based company ByteDance, is similar to Vine (you may also be too young to remember this app) in that it consists of sharing short and catchy videos. With half a billion users worldwide and 1.5 billion downloads, TikTok has become one of the most popular new apps. Taking a quick peek at the videos shared, you can deduce that the large demographic for the app consists of users who are between 16 and 24 years old. The videos produced on TikTok often go viral, and the app has even revolutionized teenage stars in the process.
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Even if you’re not a TikTok user, you’ve probably heard the catchy, R&B-influenced track “Say So.” The hit Doja Cat (who rose to fame herself through TikTok) song got its fame after it went insanely viral on the short-form video app. Last month, the song’s remix with Nicki Minaj hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart, making it the first no. 1 hit for both artists.
Given all this, you may still be wondering: where do older people fit in? Well, perhaps, they don’t, despite what media outlets like the Washington Post think. While brands are hurrying to expand their viewership by creating viral TikTok videos, it is clear to everyone that the app remains a young person’s game.
No one can stop you from enjoying the buzzing and oftentimes hilarious content, but save yourself the trouble and maybe don’t attempt these dances yourself.
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