Tik Tok Compilation cringe

By Eva Tao

Chances are you have already seen it: a video which had gone viral, with everyone chiming in to do their best impressions of ‘TikTok gamer girls’.

‘TikTok gamer girls’ refers to young women often accused of masquerading as gamers on video-sharing app TikTok, for the sake of gaining views or followers. Many are often seen holding a PlayStation 3 controller, while singing a song from shooter game Overwatch, which can only be played on a computer.

The video-sharing social media platform was originally launched as ‘Douyin’ in China, and then became the most globally downloaded non-game application on iOS in 2018. It is now worth a total of US$75 billion. The one-year-old start-up has already become one of the most popular apps of all the time – how did that happen?

Unlike most apps that follow trends, TikTok creates them. It features a number of built-in special effects and music, encouraging users to set their imaginations free and express themselves. However, the meaning of TikTok seems to have become twisted the moment it entered the Western market.

YouTubers started uploading challenge compilations, consisting of ‘cringy’ videos or voiceovers on original TikTok videos. If you search for ‘TikTok Compilation Cringe’ on YouTube, thousands of results will appear. These compilations are usually obvious attempts at mocking slightly awkward teens or adults using the app – whoever who does not fit within the ‘cool’ or ‘cute’ userbase. According to Geeky Girl’s survey, 72 per cent believed that this challenge was racist and unnecessary.

“This is complete nonsense,” said David Cao, a TikTok user who strongly opposes against this challenge. “This is just mean. I get that they are just doing it for fun, but it hurts people, and what do they do when it becomes serious cyberbullying and it kills someone?”

#tiktok #socialmedia #china #youtube