An Exploratory Survey on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions toward TikTok

Background: TikTok is a mobile application that had become very popular among youth in college and adults alike. Many people have used TikTok as an alternate form of social media and share videos from there on different social media platforms. This study was aimed as survey to ascertain the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward TikTok as an application. Methodology: A semi-structured questionnaire was prepared to consist of questions regarding demographic details, knowledge regarding TikTok, frequency of usage of TikTok, attitudes toward its use and suggestions for change required in it. The questionnaire was circulated among students through e-mails and Whatsapp. The form was distributed three times in all within a gap of 7 days. The data collected were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and percentages. Results: Seven hundred students in all were mailed and received the questionnaire. We received 583 responses, of which 81 responses being incomplete were removed, and the final analysis was done with 502 responses. Three hundred and three (60.4%) participants felt that it could be used for entertainment and only 11 (2.2%) mentioned education or awareness. Two hundred and seventy-two (54.2%) participants felt that TikTok use could be a media for boosting self-esteem and self-image. Conclusion: Further studies in detail about various facets of TikTok need to be studied in diverse population to generalize our findings and know how this application has influenced the youth in various sectors.