On January 18, 2025, a 'TikTok shutdown' led the author to reflect on the platform's influence throughout the pandemic. Initially providing a connection during social isolation, TikTok evolved into an essential social space where users and brands flourished. The reliance on the app intensified as people's daily lives transitioned toward an online focus. This change indicates that the internet has become a significant, albeit invasive, aspect of life—transforming social interactions and marketing dynamics in a post-pandemic world.
TikTok's algorithm, combined with the lockdown orders of March 2020, hooked an entire population of people, not just teens like myself.
TikTok provided a place for people to connect at a time when they couldn't meet face-to-face, marking a shift in social interactions.
In addition to connecting people, TikTok allowed individuals and brands to thrive, as the pandemic cultivated a new, digitally-driven economy.
Post-pandemic, the reliance on the internet shifted from being a separate part of life to becoming an integral aspect of daily living.
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