Badrul Huda Sohel :
In this era of information and communication technology, it is nearly impossible for a man to think himself as modern without mobile phone and internet connection. Different social media are now our constant companions. Through these, on one hand, we can communicate with each other in moments and can easily show our own talent or creativity before the world, on the other. TikTok is such a social media for music video with various colors and funny gestures uploaded in a queer variety of forms. Sadly, this TikTok application, which is predominantly meant to provide entertainment, has become a deathtrap in many cases for our young generations nowadays.
Very recently, we have seen the news of a youngster falling from the roof of a running train while performing a TikTok dance that went viral on social media and whose body was split into six. Moreover, school and college going girls are becoming victims of rape through false promises of making them film stars based on the popularity of TikTok videos. Later, the miscreants threaten the girls telling them that their rape video scenes will be spread on the internet. Thus the evil gang is grabbing huge amount of money through blackmailing. After the arrest of two members of such a gang recently, many salacious and odious pictures of young girls were found on their phones.
After the much-anticipated inauguration of the Padma Bridge on June 25 this year, a TikTok video was made with false information about the easy opening of the nuts and bolts of the railing of the bridge. Besides, complaints were lately heard about the headmaster of a primary school in Rajshahi for making offensive TikTok videos. A fifth grader of a school in Noakhali hanged herself with headscarf while making a Tiktok video on hanging. A more gruesome incident took place on August 28 that an 8-year-old second grader named Humaira of Kishoreganj’s Katiyadi Upazila died after being strangulated by a noose while playing a TikTok video of hanging.
Music video TikTok was launched in the latter half of 2016, and by the first quarter of 2018, it was ranked among the most downloaded apps in the world. TikTok from its inception has become very popular on social media in a very short time. If we want to discuss the benefits of using TikTok, we, at first, need to see why people use it. First, its function is to entertain the viewers. Secondly, it can also work to create brand awareness through advertising. Thirdly, TikTok display can tell us the popularity and the impacts of the performers by the comments and likes of the viewers and followers. Both TikTok authorities and performers can also earn money through advertising or e-commerce offers. Moreover, there is a good returns opportunity by becoming a TikTok celebrity. School and college goers, however, give more priority to social pleasure and entertainment than think about earnings. And while expressing this joy, many important or sensitive issues are becoming ludicrous which is unanticipated. The young ones of the society now prefer TikTok videos to gain recognition or to become celebrities at any cost. Being intoxicated by the competition of likes, comments or shares on TikTok, sometimes quarrels and conflicts create among teenagers, due to which the crime trend is increasing in the society. Children including young women are being misled by displaying banned pornographic videos through TikTok. As Tiktok works on low speed internet, it is gaining popularity in rural areas as well. Literate, semi literate and even illiterate boys and girls have the opportunity to make TikTok easily which is completely devoid of moral learning apart from the issue of being popular.
It is a hard nut to crack now to show the next generation proper way to grow up in a healthy atmosphere bringing them out of this evil and abusive TikTok world. Giving smartphones to minors is an act of extreme stupidity and unawareness. Eve teasing and other discourteous behavior are becoming a reality today in the name of making TikTok videos. Parents cannot escape the responsibility of this in any way. It has become essential to keep abreast of what their child is doing or where he or she is going.
Technology is never a blessing but a curse when it is misused instead of its proper use. Morality, social values and mutual respect have always to be prioritized so that they are not eliminated by the clutches of TikTok malady. TikTok has already been banned in many countries, including some countries in the Middle East, due to pornographic videos and offensive content. It can be stopped completely to save the youth community from moral degradation and if it goes unaddressed, its use should be brought under strict monitoring. Like Free Fire and PubG games, TikTok is pulling the youth towards addiction. Therefore, now is the time to avert this path of darkness and misguidance. It is desirable that the government and the authorities concerned will take hasty steps to control TikTok in order to shape our youth for good citizens by nurturing a culture of our own.
(The writer is Assistant Professor and Chairman, Department of English, Ishakha International University).
