Scrolling in the Deep

I have never known life without the internet. When I was younger, my parents tried to keep me offline as much as possible. They even attempted to implement a coupon system for screen time (that idea barely lasted a week). I have been surfing the web for as long as I can remember. The same goes for most of Gen Z. We’ve grown up with Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, and then Instagram and Snapchat, sharing our pictures, thoughts, and feelings.

One platform in particular has taken over my generation and dominated our high school years: TikTok. The short-form video app, which launched in September 2016 as a stream for fifteen-second dance routines and lip-synchs, has transformed into a content behemoth that combines the influencer ethos of Instagram, the interactive element (and toxicity) of Twitter, and the viral fame that first emerged through that ancient platform YouTube. TikTok has...