Assignment #3: Lifestyle or Popular Culture

        While quarantined inside of homes over the last year people have found new pastimes to keep entertained and occupied. Whether working from home, working out or scrolling through their cellular devices, the Covid-19 pandemic has tested the strength and determination of us all. Social media has certainly been at the top of the list of pastimes that people are currently still using. One of the fastest growing social media platforms is TikTok. The TikTok app was created by ByteDance and was released in September of 2016. The app has been known to have grown continually since its release, especially over the last few years. The app currently has over one billion active monthly users averaging about 52 minutes a day. For those between the age of 10 to 19 the average viewing time per day increases to 80 minutes. 

For many I know in my case I was not interested in downloading the TikTok app only because I had a preconceived notion that it was for minors who danced to pop songs all day. But my friends would send me links to videos through text, and after lots of persuading I finally downloaded the app and have been using it ever since. Although I enjoy the funny and light-hearted videos that creators make, here lately I have been drawn to the small business side of TikTok. On this particular side of TikTok you will find thousands of small business owners sharing with the world one-minute videos of the products they sell, how they’re made, tips for other business owners and so much more.