TIK TOCK ON TIKTOK
Published in the January 18, 2025 edition.
Earlier this week, I watched a video on Tiktok of a stay-at-home mother who went to Costco and purchased a vat of whole, marinated peaches because it was wintertime and she can’t find a good peach anywhere anymore. She lifted the jug, covering her whole face to taste the juice, and then reached her bare hand inside to grab a piece of the fruit, which got stuck. She then had to grab a barbeque skewer to get it out.
I watched this entire video. Intently. I watched a grown woman fight a jar of peaches … intently. And so did at least half a million people, according to the video’s views. In the comments, someone lamented, “you’re telling me I won’t be able to consume content like this next week?”
The comment was sarcastic, but I got really, suddenly sad reading it.
On Friday, the Supreme Court appeared poised to uphold a law that could ban TikTok, citing national security concerns linked to its Chinese parent company. Unless there’s a last-minute buyout, the platform could vanish from U.S. app stores by January 19.
I’ve watched the news, listened to the supreme court case, etc. I’ve got my opinions on what this action means for free speech and for pop culture. But this change also hits me on a personal level – this week might just be the end of this platform; a platform that has brought a LOT into my life as a member of Generation Z.
I’ve been using TikTok for over five years—voted “most likely to be TikTok famous” in my high school yearbook, no less. My school even held a “TikTok dance-off” as the main event during our final pep rally. Since creating my profile in 2020, I’ve garnered more than 4,000 followers, 500,000 likes, and one of my videos even has over 2.5 million views. I spend at least an hour a day on the app.
It’s been an amazing and unprecedented experience to be on a platform where any ordinary person can have their content spread so expansively, so quickly. If it gets banned, I’m gonna miss a lot about this app. And so, here lies my anticipatory obituary for my long-time love, Tiktok:
It is with a mix of nostalgia and reflection that we announce (erm, prepare for) the passing of TikTok, the social media platform that transformed how millions expressed creativity, humor, and connection. Launched in September 2016, TikTok quickly rose to prominence, captivating users with its short-form video format and infectious trends.
TikTok was known for its vibrant community, where users of all ages came together to share dances, challenges, and original content. Even furries – people who dress up in animal suits for fun and get bullied at school – had a place here. Tiktok played a significant role in shaping pop culture, launching viral sensations and bringing global awareness to new voices and perspectives. We can even credit the hit show, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” to MomTok, a community of Utah women who bonded together over content creation. What will we be without that?
The app will be missed by many—including, perhaps, the very spies who meticulously curated our algorithms. To my personal data curator: I think of you in this moment of loss and feel a pang of nostalgia for our time together. I’ll cherish the dog videos I’ve cried over, the thirst traps I’ve witnessed, the trends we’ve followed, and yes, even the conspiracy theories you introduced me to. You‘ve put me on to some of my favorite songs, and taught me how to make Baked Feta Pasta. I’ll miss you, but I promise you can always check in on my data at any of the other Chinese-owned sites still allowed by the U.S. government. I’ll see you on TEMU, baby.
TikTok is survived by its dedicated user base, which continues to cherish the memories made through shared moments of laughter, art, and connection. As we bid farewell to TikTok, we celebrate the joy it brought into our lives and the lasting impact it has left on the social media landscape. We will do our best to remember TikTok as we tolerate Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts, weaker versions of the love we once had.
In lieu of flowers, please take a moment to create a video or do a dance in its honor, reflecting on the moments that made you laugh, think, or connect. TikTok will be dearly missed but never forgotten. Well, the fate of that data remains TBD. It will linger in our memories—at least as long as our attention spans allow.
