https://restofworld.org/2024/tiktok-live-battle-how-to-us-election/
The live battles are netting students up to $7,000 a month, and some are using it to pay college tuition: “Easiest money we will probably ever make.”
My main concern is that, because the focus is primarily on making money, some young people might mistake entertainment for truth. The content creators are more interested in earning money and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that, rather than providing accurate discourse. In reality, this election is not a viral video, a TikTok challenge, or a source of amusement. It is a serious real-life event with significant consequences.
The other side of that coin is that society has been publicly parodying candidates since the beginning. So who am I to judge this new form of it.
Edit: This keeps getting brought up about how it’s already happening in the mainstream. I’m in agreement with that and thought my last paragraph broadly covers that acknowledgment.
We hope our kids are provided the education and tools to think critically when they are adults, but children ingesting financially driven politics on Chinese TikTok just hits wrong.
This already happens with those comedy talk show hosts. They create rage-bait stories and spin them for good entertainment, and people think it's an accurate look at the situation. I used to kind of enjoy them until one of them hit on a subject I had just researched and knew immediately how they were spinning it. I can't stand them now.
So while this is a concern, it's one that's already being done on a much larger scale with people who feel a lot more trustworthy. I'm not really worried about some kids that are also doing it.
Definitely. I completely agree. Which is why I mentioned it at the end of my comment.
One thing I will say though, as an adult, watching those comedy shows, I’m aware it’s a comedy show. Some shows are better than others reporting accurately. But it’s still a comedy show and advertised as such. Yet they have never reached even remotely the level of nonsense presented HOURLY of TV News Networks like OAN and Fox News.
One more thought…
I used to kind of enjoy them until one of them hit on a subject I had just researched and knew immediately how they were spinning it. I can't stand them now.
That’s a fair point.
My personal opinion:
With that mindset, I imagine you’ve written off all of the news? Or no? Because no one has a perfect record. No one.
Over the years, I’ve learned to always keep the big picture in mind. While these comedy shows often bend things for the sake of humor, they’ve still provided me with valuable perspectives, ideas, and information on topics I wasn’t previously aware of. As an adult, these shows often serve as a starting point or introduction to subjects that I then research further on my own. It’s funny how we hold these comedians and writers to a higher bar than news stations.
Yeah. I recognize the bias and the need for clicks/eyeballs, and their motivations, and it applies to all of them. I generally expect someone telling me something to not be deceiving me, and I'm so often disappointed.
My main concern is that, because the focus is primarily on making money, some young people might mistake entertainment for truth.
This affects everyone. Look at Fox News, who every time they get sued, they call themselves an entertainment network rather than a news network. Then you have Infowars and even less political entertainment like the Joe Rogan podcast.
Being purely optimistic, I'd say that it's great that kids are taking interest in politics.
However, like you said, the money making focus could take priority over true opinions. And on top of everything, this is taking place on a platform where the platform is in full control of who sees what.
Far from the ideal of soapboxes in the town square, but I guess that's just today's world.
My main concern is that, because the focus is primarily on making money, some young people might mistake entertainment for truth.
Young people?!!?! You ever heard of the MSM, homie?
Chinese TikTok just hits wrong
Ever heard of sinophobia, homie?
“She listens to us, bro. She is not self-centered!” Keyes, in a black hoodie, hollored from one side of the split screen. “She puts the people before herself.”
“Just wait until she gets into an actual debate,” Jackson, livestreaming from the other side, fought back. “You’re gonna see how much of an idiot Kamala Harris really is!”
Much informed. So discourse.
Zero substance and the entire reason they exist is just so the streamers can make money off of their know-nothing takes on politics.
It's so fucked up how the "know nothing" racist anti-papist freaks turned out to be correct and we actually did end up being oppressed by an unaccountable cabal of conservative Catholics (aka the supreme Court).
Teens are debating!?? About politics?!?!? And making money??!?? To pay for college?!?! CHINA?!?!?!!!! OMG this is outrageous!!!
I guess we gotta take away their phones and computers. Ban tiktok. More homework. Etc. \s
Can the idiots on Tiktok go back to smashing their faces with hammers again? At least that was funny.
