Video Performances and Interactive Features as Contributors to Tik Tok’s Online Environment

Lingxin Kong

doi:10.54691/bcpbm.v31i.2596

Authors

Lingxin Kong

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/bcpbm.v31i.2596

Keywords:

Video length; Commentor engagement; Short video platform; Self-representation; Misinformation.

Abstract

With the rising concern of Tik Tok videos propagating misinformation to younger viewers, research on the adversary effects of the platform of Tik Tok has been few and far between. This research applies a simplistic approach of gathering and observing numbers related to 60 content creators on YouTube and Tik Tok (30 on each platform) for the comparative analysis. The analysis is largely built upon the average video length of each creator’s most recent 50 videos and the frequency of numbers of lines of each top comment. The correlation between the two is found relatively weak within one platform. However, videos on YouTube have significant lengthier top comments than those on Tik Tok most of the time, which suggests a higher level of thinking and commitment on the former in general. The two factors along with different features on the two platforms that are tailored towards different types of audiences contribute to the levels of discussion and the ways users treat information and misinformation. Implications and recommendations in regard to Tik Tok’s environment are further discussed.

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