Technology and the Internet have become a huge part of our lives. In the 21st century, everything is dependent on our devices. Nowadays, everyone uses technology, and everyone knows that it plays a major role in their daily life. Social media, especially TikTok, has therefore greatly impacted and affected our lives during the pandemic. 

TikTok is a social networking app, where people can share videos from different genres. In 2020, when COVID-19 first arrived in the U.S., TikTok blew up, thanks to teenagers. During the pandemic, teenagers have become truly addicted to TikTok and some teenagers can’t imagine their daily life without it.

Young people became bored because school had shifted online, and they were constantly at home, so they started to post different types of content. One of the freshman students from West Orange High School said, “You’re trying to build your cast for whatever you’re doing, and high school is a natural environment where you’re with lots of people, so you can do these skits or challenges.” 

Thanks to TikTok, and other social network platforms, teenagers had fun by staying at home. For example, in TikTok there is unlimited content and it is the main thing that has kept teenagers busy during the pandemic. Besides watching funny videos on TikTok, teenagers can educate themselves by watching educational videos and cooking videos on the platform. 

Another way that TikTok has affected teenagers during the pandemic is it has helped their businesses to grow online. They can simply post videos by promoting their business, which means that some teenagers can earn money through TikTok, which is beneficial. One of the young people that has run her business through this platform is 23-year-old Kelita Butler. Butler had a small business, called TopSecret Bundles, which blew up after she began making TikTok videos to promote her products.

Although teenagers think that TikTok is beneficial, some adults might think that it is a distraction from online school. It is true that TikTok is a social platform where you can spend your whole day by recording or watching videos, but it still has helped millions of teenagers stay mentally healthy during remote learning. 

Overall, TikTok has played a major role in teenagers’ lives during the pandemic. It has affected their lives mostly in a good way by helping them spend their time positively. Teenagers also can make money with TikTok while being safe at home, without physically interacting with someone. Its benefits clearly outweigh its drawbacks.