How to delete TikTok

This you?

This one is not as hard for me as Instagram. The only time the algorithm ever reallly nailed it was when I was clocking like 8 hours a day screen-time in 2020. At that point, this app had me rolling on the floor laughing and the next second I'd be on the toilet for 45 minutes crying and actively getting hemorrhoids. 

To fill the void, I redownloaded Instagram and never looked back until that got out of control too. I have not used TikTok in three years, but I might as well clean up my digital footprint a bit. The Chinese government already has my facial recognition data, but alas, at least now America does too with the buyout! 

I highly recommend everyone to delete this app, it is highly addictive and highly useless. Just like with Instagram reels, a potential benefit of engagement are ads for local gatherings and news about current events. However, I think people are more engaged with scrolling and maybe seeing one of these ads every 100 reels than actually attending the events. 

For alternatives to local gatherings try: bandsintown (a music event app that connects with your Spotify and pushes relevant concerts), looking at paper flyers posted on street poles, walking past local venues to read the posters

For alternatives to current events try: NPR, your local radio station, or podcasts (Left Right and Center, The Journal, Vice, Channel 5 (I find him annoying in the podcast interviews but their YouTube videos are gold)

I find that these media outlets have a far more wholistic view on situations instead of blasting angering and contextless headlines that lead to NO action. I ask myself whether hearing about a horrible tragedy or headline on TikTok or Instagram Reels has ever actually caused me to do a single thing? The short form has caused us to react strongly, but only for a teeny tiny period of time. Has any movement taken 3 minutes to enact? NOPE.

Click below for a breath of fresh air:

https://support.tiktok.com/en/account-and-privacy/deleting-an-account/deleting-an-account