Tiktok has had a significant impact on Nepali society. With over 1 million global users per month, TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social media applications of all time.
The app is famous in Nepal. Teenagers, youths, and people in their 40s and 50s use the app. Even children have been dragged towards it because that is what their parents, elder brothers, and sisters do. However, while it is fun to create videos and share them online, it could be misleading and cause a lot of negative impacts on society.
Why is TikTok So Famous in Nepal?
TikTok is a globally-recognized app. Users from all over the world use it to create videos. Most of the creators also make a good income off of it.
The app became a hit in Nepal only a few years ago. Today, it has grown to become one of the most-used social media apps in the country.
I got into TikTok very late. It has only been several months since I created an account. The primary reason I joined the app was to see why everyone was using it. I always thought of TikTok as an app to make lipsyncing and dancing videos. I had zero interest in both. So, I never cared to understand, let alone join the app.
After joining, I got a flood of recommendations on videos I should watch. Those were again mostly dancing and lipsyncing videos. I was not too fond of it. I even thought of closing the account after a few days of joining. But, while I was going through the settings on the app, I found that I could filter my video preferences. I filtered out all kinds of videos I didn’t want to watch.
It has been over 8 months since I first joined the app. At this time, I have understood a few reasons for the app becoming so famous in Nepal. The following are some of the top reasons.
1. Fame
If you want to be famous, make a TikTok video. That is the mentality of most Nepalese people today. It is not difficult to become famous on TikTok, that is for sure.
You only need a few things to become famous, like
- show off your dancing skills,
- act,
- act stupid,
- use hashtags,
- post more videos.
2. Virality
It’s almost the same as becoming famous. The only goal of most TikTokers in Nepal is to go viral, which is also not that difficult.
To do so, you have to repeat the process in the previous point and do them consistently. For example, post over 100 videos, and at least a few of them will go viral.
I have seen videos of my friends and relatives go viral using the same strategy.
3. Entertainment
“Let’s see what’s cooking on TikTok today.” Open the app, get flooded with recommended videos, laugh a little, cry a little, close the app, open the app again in a few minutes.
Most of the users spend hours scrolling the videos on the app.
Well, who doesn’t like to be entertained? So if it is that easy to be entertained by tapping a few buttons on your screen, then why not?
Some creators do it for fun, which is good. They do not intend to go viral or become famous.
4. Information
Person 1: Did you see the snow avalanche in Mustang?
Person 2: No, how did you know about it?
Person 1: I saw it on TikTok.
TikTok is one of the largest sources of information for Nepalese people. You don’t need to watch the news on TV or read about it in the paper. Just use TikTok.
This online information sharing has pros and cons. The primary advantage is that you can get information quickly. Additionally, you can share helpful information with others and spread awareness regarding a good cause.
On the other hand, spreading misleading information is easy too. I think the most misleading feature in the app is “Use this sound.” TikTok allows creators to use the sound of other creators in their videos. So, when people do not post the video with the original sound and use other peoples’ sounds, they will mislead the viewers into believing that that was the actual sound.
The Impact it is Creating
Whether it is to kill time during the lockdown, get famous, show off your skills, or online marketing, TikTok users in Nepal are growing. Even businesses have switched to the platform to sell their products and services.
Doctors provide free medical advice here, lawyers talk about Nepalese law, celebrities make acting videos, and influencers build their brands.
While the creators are busy creating content, they are making a significant impact on the users and themselves.
Creators
Let’s look at TikTok’s impact from a creator’s point of view. As I said earlier, creators use TikTok for fame, virality, or information-spreading.
Social media is a numbers game—followers, likes, comments, shares, and views. If you see a profile with many followers, you assume that the creator must be very good at what they do. On the other hand, the creator is concerned about how to increase the followers, likes, and audience engagement in their content.
- Why did my video receive fewer likes?
- Why did my video not go viral?
- Why hasn’t anyone commented on my video yet?
Chasing numbers could lead to severe mental problems. For instance, if a post does not get the expected number of likes, the creator assumes that their video wasn’t good enough. They start to question what they did wrong. I have seen many people asking other people if they saw and liked their newest picture on Facebook. Such people live their lives being concerned about what other people think of them. For them, other people’s actions (likes, comments, shares) determine their worth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuG8B6h6UFo
Additionally, the willingness to participate in video creation (like different challenges) allows the creators to chase perfectionism. I have seen most people saying, “Wow! this is a nice video. I want to create a similar video with this sound effect.” What value are such videos providing to society? The creator spends hours trying to perfect the video, using props and lipsyncing the audio, hoping to get a few likes and good comments. But why?
There was a story that an 18-year-old guy killed himself while trying to film a TikTok video. Such news is usual these days. Is creating a viral video worth so much that you don’t even care about your life?
Users
TikTok could be a total waste of time from a user’s perspective. Sure, some videos will entertain you for some time. But, mindless scrolling and watching content that does not provide value could be dangerous.
TikTok has become a distraction from work. People avoid important work and scroll through the videos, wasting hours of their valuable time.
The Good Part About TikTok
Besides all the negative impact that TikTok is making on society, it also has a good side. For instance, some people give actual value to the viewers. Nepali TikTokers include doctors, lawyers, celebrities, tech-experts, financial gurus, and so forth. I wouldn’t say that every one of them is excellent, but a few make good content that provides value to their viewers.
As I said, TikTok is appropriate for businesses and brands. If you have a business, TikTok will provide many benefits as you can use the platform for free marketing. But, you need to use strategic methods to make your content more appealing to your customers.
TikTok has a creator fund program where it pays creators based on the engagements on their videos. The program says,
“The funds that each creator can earn are worked out by a combination of factors; including the number of views and the authenticity of those views, the level of engagement on the content, as well as making sure content is in line with our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.”
Creators can earn money making videos on TikTok. That is a good thing. However, it is not that easy, especially in Nepal. You need to create a good audience and post regularly so that people engage with your content. Khabane Lame‘s story about becoming a TikTok sensation inspired many creators. He made millions off the platform without speaking a word in his videos.
Despite all the negative impacts of using TikTok, it provides happiness to people. As I said, some creators make videos just for fun. So if someone is happy making dancing videos on TikTok, that is a good thing for them.
Final Thoughts
TikTok in Nepal is a big deal. People use the app every day for the reasons mentioned above. However, the users must understand that TikTok can harm our mental health like any other social media.
Social media apps are created so that we get hooked to them. The developers use strategies that influence us to keep using their platforms while they make loads of money behind the scenes. Netflix’s documentary called The Social Dilemma clearly shows how social media companies persuade the users’ psychology.
We, the users, must use these apps responsibly. If you have children, you should be extra careful regarding your impact on them. It is not wrong to use these apps unless you are in control. Don’t get hooked. Mindless scrolling is a disease. Have some self-control.
I’d recommend you to use the “Screen Time Management” feature on TikTok. It allows you to set a time limit for your app usage in a day. Other social media apps have similar features that would help you to be more in control of your time. Additionally, you should also select the content preferences in the settings so that the apps do not show content that you do not prefer to watch.
Use TikTok responsibly. You should control the app. Don’t let it control you.
