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Tiktok has become a pawn in the Sino-American conflict. Parliaments debate the video platform, governments ban it, the media warn against it, but one hears less from the people, who are affected the most by all this. Three tictokers say it.
Chinese video app Tiktok became famous for its dance videos, today the content is more diverse.
Tiktok is the first Chinese social media application that can compete with the Facebook group globally. The app, which is used primarily by teens and young adults, remained off the radar of politics for a long time. However, since Tiktok has been breaking user records on a regular basis, the app has been monitored by the media and politics.
New figures from the Swiss Digimonitor show that Tiktok could soon be more popular than Facebook among 15-24 year olds. In mid-2019, 6 percent of young people said they used Tiktok at least occasionally. In one year, this value increased to 26 percent. Facebook, on the other hand, registers fewer young users each year. In 2020, 36 percent of respondents said they were at least occasionally active on Facebook.
There is a big discrepancy between the enthusiasm of a growing number of users and the rather negative public perception of the app. Tiktok provides data to the Chinese government, the content is being censored in the interest of China, and the platform may be misused for propaganda purposes, which some fear. Now, Donald Trump would like to do what India has already done: ban the app in the country. The US president sees national security at risk because he fears that US user data could reach China. The sale of Tiktok’s US business to US companies such as Microsoft and Walmart is currently being negotiated.
The circle of those who decide the fate of Tiktok has grown steadily. Only one group almost never has a voice: the users of the platform. We spoke to three Swiss tikers about why they use the platform and how they perceive the conflict over “its application”.
Kevin Bannier, 19, Basel, 1.2 million followers
Dancer and Tiktoker Kevin Bannier.
Dance videos have always been the foundation of Tiktok. Dancer Kevin Bannier represents exactly this first generation of Tiktok users. The then 13-year-old signed up to Musical.ly, Tiktok’s predecessor, in 2014. Six years and hundreds of videos later, more than 1.2 million people follow the Basler. It should be one of the most successful Swiss Tiktokers. “I still can’t believe that so many people want to follow me, support me and watch my videos,” Kevin told the NZZ. Is that normal for me now? Under no circumstance! I fought hard for it and tried really hard. ”
Above all, he invested a lot of time. The 19-year-old shares at least one video a day, most of which creates and learns his own choreography. Kevin spent five hours on his most elaborate video to date: “We rehearsed our own dance, put together outfits, made proper arrangements, and incorporated various effects. Many people who do not actively use Tiktok greatly underestimate the effort. “
When thousands of people watch you dance on their smartphones every day, this naturally has consequences for analog life as well: “Tiktok has already changed my life. I experienced many wonderful things, met many people and visited many places; I would never have achieved all of that without this platform. ”One of his biggest successes was his appearance as a dancer in a video by Swiss singer Luca Hänni.
“Tiktok can turn the shyest person into a star, making them more confident and happy. Why should one want to ban that? “
Kevin also followed the accusations against the platform: “On the one hand, I understand the fear. On the other hand, it is an application like any other, where you can share your talent and creativity with people. “After all, you don’t worry about the fact that you often share private things on other platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Due to his own data, which he provides to Tiktok, he is not concerned: “I am aware of what I reveal in this application. After all, it is my responsibility what is seen of me on this platform.” Kevin Bannier couldn’t even imagine a life without Tiktok. “Tiktok can turn the shyest person in the world into a star, making them more confident and happy. Why should one want to ban that? “
Larissa Jeanne Werner, 23, Zurich, 62,000 followers
Model and tiktokerin Larissa Werner.
Former Miss Switzerland candidate Larissa Werner recently came across the app. When the crown pandemic hit Europe and Switzerland, it hardly received any more orders for models. “That is why I had enough time to create a Tiktok profile and expand my community on a new platform.” For her, Tiktok means above all fun: “Instagram is more of a professional platform for me as a model. On Tiktok I can show other funny sides of me. ”With his videos, in which he recreates funny scenes, presents different outfits or participates in Tiktok trends, he was able to achieve a following of more than 60,000 subscribers in a short time. 23-year-old is seen tens of thousands of times. Since then he has been on the street with the phrase “Hey, I saw you on Tiktok!” directed.
The Zurich resident, however, does not believe that the current conflict over Tiktok is actually about the platform: “This is a tough economic and trade policy between the two great powers, the United States and China, about winning and losing.” Like Kevin, Larissa also points out in an interview with NZZ that the handling of data from other platforms is not famous: “Compared to Tiktok, the data power of the Facebook group with Instagram and WhatsApp is much greater.” Above all, unlike Facebook, Tiktok does not distribute news or personal data, only “fun”.
“This is not really about Tiktok, but about tough economic and trade policy.”
You yourself very consciously decide what to reveal on social media and what not. But you shouldn’t overestimate your own existence either. Neither the Chinese nor the American government can do much with what I post about me. “The loss of the app, unlikely as this scenario is in Switzerland, would not be too tragic for Larissa:” Such platforms come and go. on Miss Switzerland it was Facebook, then Snapchat and Instagram, and now it’s Tiktok. “
Adrian Vogt, 21, Baselland, 365,000 followers
Youtuber and Tiktoker Adrian Vogt.
Adrian Vogt created multimedia content even before his steep career as a Tiktoker. Aditotoro, as he calls himself online, is YouTuber and podcaster, and since the beginning of this year he is also Tiktoker: “I was bored during the Christmas holidays. So I just cut a video and uploaded it to Tiktok. That was very good. “Very good, in fact: in just nine months, the 21-year-old was able to gain 365,000 followers, and all this with videos in Swiss German.” Of course, I also benefited from the Corona period when the Tiktok boom. “As people sought entertainment around the world at the height of the pandemic, Tiktok was able to record a record number of users.
Adrian’s videos are meant to entertain and make you laugh. He pokes fun at “Bünzlischwiizer”, reflects on passersby in street polls or performs small plays. The Basler, who started his own YouTuber in early 2020, always develops the ideas himself: “In my mind, I spend a lot of time with my Tiktok account. I have the feeling that I am constantly looking for ideas. “For the video to be effective, sometimes it takes five minutes, but sometimes two hours.” Youtube videos always cut off, everything has to be perfect. On Tiktok I can test something with much more freedom and publish it immediately. If it works, then it works. And if not, then it doesn’t. ” In any case, his principle seems to be working: Aditotoro has been nominated for this year’s “Swiss Comedy Award” in the online category.
Interestingly, people often forget that China has blocked all American social media apps. The reason the United States now wants to take the same step is clear. “
Adrian follows the discussions about Tiktok, but he can laugh about it too. Interestingly, people often forget that China has blocked all American applications. We are currently talking about Tiktok, although there is no WhatsApp, Instagram, Youtube or Facebook in China. The reason why the United States now wants to take the same step is really clear. “But he is not worried:” I have a feeling that Tiktok is ‘too big to fail’. It is already too big in the United States. ” Still, Adrian doesn’t think much about trusting Tiktok too much. “I know I have a huge following on Tiktok and I really appreciate it. However, I have the feeling that my 44,000 followers on YouTube are more valuable than my 350,000 on Tiktok. “The link with the followers themselves is much greater on YouTube or Instagram than with the fleeting and unpredictable Tiktok.” You become famous very quickly. But fame has little value. “
