TikTok is arguably the most famous social media platform right now. From making iconic young stars for the world within days and giving us the latest hit songs and dances, it has power and influence like no other. The ever-growing platform produces all sorts of content every day, but many people are skeptical of it, mostly because they don’t really understand it. Remember Fahad Mustafa asking parents to keep their children away from TikTok? Well, turns out he has fellow actors agreeing with him
Feroze Khan just called TikTok a “cancer” and while it’s a strongly worded statement, it’s definitely not something to joke about
Tik tok is cancer. I repeat, cancer ! pic.twitter.com/5hx1EQqgb6
— Feroze Khan (@ferozekhaan) February 26, 2020
Feroze Khan dissed TikTok by sharing his opinion over two recently viral videos in Pakistan that appear to have come from the app
The first one seems like the girl is lying around in a graveyard, where the girl claims to be “taking a sunbath” on what appears to be a grave.
ٹک ٹاک کے لچڑ پن نے قبرستان کو بھی نا بخشا…. حکومت ٹک ٹاک نہیں بند کر سکتی کیونکہ حریم شاہ کا آرڈر نہیں ہے اور حریم کے پاس ہر کسی کی کوئی نا کوئی ویڈیو موجود ہے pic.twitter.com/7SYxft8qxk
— Haqeeqat TV (@Haqeeqat_TV) February 26, 2020
The second one is the girl dancing in front of Jinnah’s Mausoleum in Karachi. Her video had started a massive debate online and according to some reports, a few people have already been arrested in connection to this video.
This Is Right At Mazar-E-Quaid😢 pic.twitter.com/AcoVxQlEVh
— Haya Awaan (@Bechariii) February 22, 2020
Naturally, quite a few people agreed with Feroze Khan calling TikTok out
Agree👏 humari youth kharab ho rahi iss har koi bs tiktok ke zariye famous hone main laga hai parents ko apne bacho ko iss de durr rakhna chahiye.
— Lilly 🐾 (@Being_lilly_) February 26, 2020
Yes it's a disease eating us! https://t.co/3H4dkWjzZT
— n.malhi (@mnMalhi) February 26, 2020
This is odd and weird. Common sense isn’t common anymore.
— Sakina Syeda (@isakeeni) February 26, 2020
Many started demanding severe punishments over the viral videos
Arrest and punishment
— Haseeb (@Haseeb45235325) February 26, 2020
Many even called for the app to be banned altogether
Bann kr dena chahiye
— Azad.malik (@Azadmal09273087) February 26, 2020
But there are those who called out Feroze Khan for comparing TikTok to a serious disease
Naming everything cancer
Do you guys even know what cancer really is ?
You can call it something else or your dictionary just ends at the word "Cancer" when you want to show harsh reaction https://t.co/Bjf1Fh0BBi— Marium (@Mariumch01) February 26, 2020
They joked about the hypocrisy over trying to call out an app for propagating problematic behavior while also doing dramas that do the same
The type of content you guys produce is also cancer. https://t.co/VOpnwhAFsl
— kamran (@komo_moron) February 26, 2020
ترے ڈراموں میں تو قرآن خوانی ہو رہی ہوتی ہے ۔۔۔ https://t.co/kjgwcjfGWn
— //HI$TLE ßLOWE® (@elegantnasir) February 27, 2020
Others tried to reason that banning is not the solution because banning things cuts you off from progress instead of doing anything to “protect” anyone
Instead of banning everything they must need to learn some ethics, moral and values. https://t.co/Xws5xKmgUI
— Nibbi. ❤ (@sadnibbi) February 26, 2020
Bc harktein log aesi beghairton wali krtay hain isme tiktok ka kya qasor..video bna kr kahin bhi post ki ja skti hai sirf tiktok e ek platform nai ha..Tiktok ka qasoor na hai "kuch" logon ka qasoor ha https://t.co/6IoguhJIkD
— LAME🇵🇰 (@farig_tareen) February 26, 2020
Nowadays, TikTok has definitely become a shortcut to overnight fame thanks to the incredible virality of the app. While one does need to be careful fo not going overboard for attention, this behavior is a side affect to such platforms. Generalizing the whole platform because of some very few videos that are made with the exact intention of grabbing attention is a very reductive argument. Instead of getting scared and angry and trying to ask for outright bans, it would be more prudent to try and understand how to make the usage of these apps and platforms more progressive and more positive.
Here Are 13 Of The Top Pakistani TikTok Stars In 2019
PIA Just Suspended These Crew Members For Making TikTok Vidoes And Pakistanis Are Pissed
Cover image via dailytimes.com.pk