I don’t see an inherent problem with the core premise of tiktok. It’s a technological leap in our digestion of media and that has led to both positive and negative changes in our culture.

Positive: It has further democratized the internet in ways and lowered the barrier of entry for working class people seeking an audience for their trades, the expression of their talents, building community through niches and eccentricities, organizing protests and information.

As far as the negatives go, I think we’re all aware of the annoying and toxic things that short-form algorithm chasing and social media in general has done to our culture.

Ultimately, it’s a tool that has provided a new terrain for class struggle. Theatre, novels, film, television, etc. Every communicative advance in our history has altered how we’ve related to each other, for better and worse. Eventually another content medium may come along that builds on the positive attributes and minimizes the toxic ones.

P.S. – There are some great communist tiktokers that make accessible and entertaining educational videos.