TikTok can be considered one of the most popular video platforms globally and in the Vietnamese market. Users can encounter all kinds of content, from high-quality entertainment to trends deemed immoral, even images showcasing the body or ‘18+ content’.
It is alarming that TikTok users in Vietnam today are of all ages. From children to teenagers, these are the groups most susceptible to the harmful content that is rampant on TikTok. The TikTok management team in Vietnam has not taken adequate actions to censor and control such content.
TikTok users are seen as very easy to upload videos with various forms of content onto this platform effortlessly. This directly affects viewers, especially the younger generation. Not long ago, the online community certainly did not forget videos with extremely harmful and ‘immoral’ content both in imagery and narrative. Especially regarding the language displayed on screens, which reflects vulgarity and goes against moral standards.
These are popular trends on TikTok, while some TikTokers are exploiting this platform to make money by engaging in ‘outrageous’ actions, even willing to ‘show off their bodies’ to sell products. It is not difficult to come across video clips containing 18+ content or sharing ‘sensitive’ stories aimed at selling products, which in this context are various ‘enhancement’ food items without any censorship.
In 2021, TikTok accumulated nearly 3.7 billion downloads to date and generated $5.4 billion from consumer spending, excluding the Android version of its Chinese twin, Douyin.
TikTok has brought many positive aspects to users. There are still many healthy and beneficial contents for viewers. However, alongside that are countless ‘dirty contents’, to the extent of being harmful, immoral, and posing unpredictable dangers that can severely affect the mindset and aesthetics of young viewers. That is the alarming issue.