Specific videos made with the intention to be copied by others. TikTok has had many challenges go viral, such as users trying to lip-sync to a scene to a scene from the movie Ice Age. There are always ‘trending challenges’ and hashtags that users can copy or build upon. On many occasions, TikTok challenges have posed huge risks to children and young people that have ended in injury and death.
The in-app currency. Users can buy coins on TikTok using real money. The price of coins is displayed at the point of purchase. If a user likes a specific performance, they can use coins to buy emojis and award them to the creator.
When a user captions or hashtags a video ‘Day 1’, it means a fresh start. Sometimes this can mean the loss of a relationship or the beginning of a sobriety journey, and the user may be in a vulnerable position.
This feature is designed to remind users to take breaks, and attempts to block potentially inappropriate content.
This feature lets users create a reaction video to one created by a celebrity, popular social influencer, or a friend. The screen is ‘split’ to allow both videos to play alongside each other. It is commonly used for sing-alongs or dances, but can also be used to respond to questions or topics made.
TikTok emojis are used to express a user’s emotion to a certain video. The emojis pop up on the screen during a live performance.
This is the main feed or ‘home page’ on TikTok. It is filled with videos which the platform’s algorithms think an individual user will enjoy most, based on what they’ve watched and interacted with in the past.
Users who broadcast on the app can receive in-app ‘gifts’. These gifts translate into money, which can be withdrawn from the App into a user’s PayPal account.
A slang word used to describe something that disgusts someone or turns them off something they previously liked (e.g. “They put pineapple on my pizza and it gave me the ick.”).
One of the most common features found in TikTok is videos of users ‘singing along’ to popular music. Users can pick their favourite artist’s music and aim to perfectly lip-sync along with it.
A TikTok trend and slang term that places the user or someone else as the starring role, aka the ‘main character’ of life (e.g. “Today, my sister just got hit on by a hot barista at the coffee shop we went to and she found £20 on the street. She’s got such main character energy!“).
A POV style video is a growing trend in which the user creates a video that places the viewer in the POV of a certain character/object/situation, real or made up (e.g. POV: You’re the last donut in the box).
TikTok has a feature that will let users add their own reactions to other videos on platform. When users select the react option, it will record a video of them and share their reaction to the clip. This can be potentially harmful if it includes inappropriate content.
To describe when a person can’t stop thinking about someone or something. For example, “Justin Bieber’s new song is living rent free in my head.”
To say bad things about someone or disrespect someone. This can also be used to say someone is ‘throwing shade’.
This function allows users to clip and integrate scenes from another user’s video into their own. Like Duet, Stitch is a way to reinterpret and add to another user’s content, building on stories, tutorials, recipes, math lessons, and more.
This isn’t referring to the hot drink you know and love. Instead, this refers to some hot gossip. Otherwise known as ‘spilling the tea’.
An avid user of TikTok would be referred to as a TikToker.