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TikTok and the Dawn of New Digital Communities

NEWS | September 11, 2020
With its diverse communities and their set of well-established codes, TikTok — the hottest social network for Gen Z — already counts over two billion users around the world. Here you'll find a rundown of its newest digital subcultures and communities.

Sixty seconds. That's the maximum length of videos uploaded to the most famous Chinese app on the planet. For today's teens, one minute within which to unveil themselves to the world is plenty, and they're loving it. Between dance moves, competitions, and performances, TikTokers have created a galaxy of their own within this social network and state-of-the-art AI system.

In this parallel world, communities coexist according to precise codes. Leading the pack are the famous E-girls and boys, neo-cool teenagers whose pitch-perfect aesthetics are filled with nods to Japanese animé, K-Pop, and skate culture. With impeccable eyeliner and angelic blush, they sport neon hair colors, usually fuchsia or violet, subscribing to a look that's largely gender-free. It's a style that contains faint echoes of the Emo culture of the early aughts as well as the trends that followed in its footsteps — like VSCO girls, known for their retro Californian looks.

While the Normie, always seeking out the latest in visual content, remains the classic TikTok user, two major trends are emerging from the app. On the one hand, Straight TikTok attracts classic users: the ones who post and respond to dance contests and the like. On the other hand, we have Alt TikTok: a kind of experimental techno-elite that uses social networks for sharing artwork or political activism. A real TikTok counterculture is indeed gaining ground, and its influence now goes beyond the screen, as demonstrated by the famous prank played on Donald Trump. In the days leading up to his Tulsa rally, thousands of teens reserved free spots, causing the campaign to prepare the massive venue for crowds that never showed.

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