Teens team up on TikTok to create change
Teenage TikTokers are using the popular app as a platform to speak up on issues they care about.
One collective account, Gen Z for Change, has amassed over 1.2 million followers in only a few months.
The group, formerly known as Tiktok for Biden, has broadened its focus following the presidential election and posts on topics about reproductive justice and the upcoming Georgia runoff election.
Ben Pritzker, one of the group’s first members, said why the app is the perfect place to take action online.
“I think overall it’s really important to use the platform that you have, use the voice that you have for advocacy, and TikTok is probably the best platform to do that simply because of the algorithm and the people it reaches,” the Pennsylvania high school sophomore said.
TikTok’s reach is wide. The app revealed in a lawsuit against its U.S. ban that it has more than 500 million active users in over 170 countries, which is more than Twitter and Reddit.
An activism all-nighter
High school junior Yasmin Ulerio originally started on TikTok to make comedic content, but came up with an idea to encourage creators to hold a 12-hour all-nighter to share ways on how to support the black lives matter movement.
In the video that launched the all-nighter campaign, she said: “No justice, no sleep. it is our job to speak out against the injustices faced by the community.”
“It was just kind of mind blowing how like this one idea I had at literally 3 a.m. turned into all of that,” the TikTok content creator said.
Her live stream’s goal was to provide tangible ways to uplift the Black community and not just repost pictures.
“If we aren’t doing more than just saying Black lives matter, then nothing’s going to get done,” Ulerio said.
Users like her call TikTok not only a creative outlet, but also a source they will continue to use to educate themselves on issues affecting their peers.
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