Social Media Articles

Article / Updated 10-28-2024

YouTube is a video-sharing website where users post all kinds of media. YouTube is so popular that it has one billion unique visits every single month. From how-tos to educational cartoons, YouTube has a large selection of videos from every genre. You’ve likely watched videos on YouTube and seen something that you might want to watch when you don’t have access to the internet. Need a cartoon for your child who watch while on an airplane? Or, maybe an instructional video to review while actually doing the task later? Downloading YouTube videos is quite simple. How to download YouTube videos with Keepvid You can use keepvid.com to download YouTube videos. Follow these steps to use Keepvid: Go to YouTube and find the video you’d like to download. Click the Share button underneath the video on YouTube to copy the link. Open a new window and navigate to keepvid.com. Paste the link into the download text box. Click download and save the video.All done! Keepvid can also download videos from other websites, including videos posted to social media. Before you begin downloading videos from YouTube, you need to understand the legal issues that accompany your use of those videos. YouTube content is copyrighted. That means that you absolutely cannot download it for anything other than personal use. Also, Google (the owner of YouTube) includes terms of service for users. These terms specifically state: “You shall not download any Content unless you see a 'download' or similar link displayed by YouTube on the Service for that Content” (Section 5 – B). The following is provided for informational purposes only. There are several methods for downloading YouTube videos. The instructions above discuss one popular way to complete the task, but other options exist. There are numerous software suites available to download these videos. If you prefer this method, you can easily find choices by searching the internet for “YouTube downloading software.” The directions you find here discuss the use of websites that are specifically created to download YouTube videos.

Article / Updated 10-27-2023

Knowing a little about the TikTok algorithm can help you better understand how to go viral on TikTok. An algorithm is a calculation that search engines and social media platforms use to rank content — in the case of TikTok, to rank videos and customize "For You" page results. Don't have time to read the entire article? Jump to the quick read summary. The algorithm is basically the “secret sauce” of how TikTok decides what videos to show each user. If you understand the basics of TikTok’s algorithm, you can understand how to create content that shows up more often on the For You pages of people who don’t follow you. Knowing this secret sauce gives you the ability to gain more followers and views, and hopefully, go viral on TikTok. A disclaimer: The actual TikTok algorithm — the inner workings of how TikTok surfaces content on the For You page — is a secret. It also changes frequently, and what might work today may not work tomorrow, so test your content often. That said, I and other creators have discovered basic principles that seem to result in more followers and views. The tips I share here are based on what I’ve found to be effective. By the way, are you wondering: what is considered viral on TikTok? Opinions definitely vary. If you search the question "how many views is viral on TikTok," you'll see a range of answers, but it appears that most people believe a video must garner between 250,000 and 1 million views to be considered viral. Here are a few principles to remember as you create videos. These could help make your videos more likely to show up on the For You page (the first screen people see when they go to TikTok): Focus on engagement first. Remember, on TikTok, content is king, but engagement is queen and wears the pants. Focus on engagement first. A video that moves its audience to take action — like, comment, duet, or stitch — will see far greater views and new followers than a well-produced video that took hours to create. I have almost 15 years’ experience creating content for social media — trust me, this is true! You want your audience to feel something quickly — within the first five seconds of your video, if you can manage it. They hear a voice saying, “I just have to say something!” and then leave a comment, create a stitch, or duet your video. Success! These are the keys for how to blow up on TikTok. This platform, and most social media platforms, favor lots of engagement on videos, especially when users are willing to take the time to have a conversation. This is why even controversial content tends to see more views. Make your content king. In the competition to get viral on TikTok, a well-produced, well-lit video with good sound and good editing has the clear advantage over poorly produced videos — a well-done video definitely gains some level of favor in the TikTok algorithm. Find out what's trending. You probably discovered TikTok because someone close to you — a child, niece, nephew, or friend — shared a funny video. These days, a lot of Internet trends begin on TikTok. Much of TikTok culture centers around one large, connected community, all talking about the same things. The TikTok algorithm highly favors content that remains a part of this “town gossip.” Want to double your video views? Find a popular TikTok influencer who’s participating in a popular trend, and duet or stitch that person's content with your own twist on the conversation. Even if the creator doesn’t notice you, TikTok’s algorithm tends to favor videos that duet or stitch the videos of popular creators. When I do this in my videos, such as the one in the figure below, I always see significantly more views, especially when I’m creative with my response. Attention spans are short! Focus your content. As you're thinking about how to make your TikTok go viral, remember that although engagement trumps content and length, TikTok’s For You page algorithm tends to favor content that is short. People on TikTok have short attention spans.In addition, TikTok favors videos where most of the viewers watch the entire video. Unless I'm doing something to engage my audience, such as a duet or stitch, I keep my content shorter than 15 seconds. This makes it more likely that my viewers will watch the entire video, giving an added bump to the video's chances of being seen on the For You page of potential followers, and maybe even going viral on TikTok. Because TikTok gives a boost to videos that get more viewers to watch to the end, consider splitting a long video into segments. Make sure each segment starts with a new hook to keep the viewer interested. Watch your numbers! TikTok is constantly changing, and what works for me and other accounts on TikTok today might work differently for you later. Time your messages carefully. When you post a video, TikTok looks at the video's content, description, hashtags, sounds, and other details, and determines its ideal audience. First TikTok shares the video with a small, targeted audience. If they respond well, it increases the audience — and continues to do so as long as viewers react favorably. However, TikTok’s algorithm needs time to get your video to that full audience. If you post a new video targeting the same audience as the last-published video too quickly, it confuses the algorithm. Your original video will not be able to make it to as many people as it could have. I’ve found no established guidelines on how soon is too soon to post, but pay attention to this issue as you publish videos and see what works best. Consistency is your key to the kingdom. If you haven’t done so already, think about what you want your TikTok account to be about. What goals do you want to accomplish with it? What topics do you want to focus on? Who’s your target audience? Take some time to answer those questions. Next, make sure every video you create matches the answers to those questions. If you keep all your content consistent, TikTok knows immediately what audiences to send your content to, and you’re more likely to see higher growth more quickly. Maintaining consistency is keeping a promise to your audience: They come to you looking for specific content, and you deliver it. Identifying trending content A great way to gain followers and increase video views on TikTok is by understanding what content is trending. In this section, I discuss finding trends by browsing the discover page and using the search function. Check the discover page To access the discover page, shown in the figure below, tap Discover in the main navigation. Scroll through the main discover page to see what’s currently trending, and then tap the Sounds and Hashtags tabs to explore those pages further and get new inspiration. Swipe the top banner to see trending accounts, sounds, themes, and hashtags. These are things TikTok wants you to see, so TikTok will favor your videos on the For You page if you use them in your content. Tap a topic on the banner to see a screen with that topic, such as the #CarTikTok page shown in Figure 8-3, left, which includes videos, sounds, hashtags, and a list of the top-viewed videos using the topic. Sometimes topic pages are just a landing page TikTok has designed with a partner or an advertiser. Each topic page will be different, designed to show off the things TikTok wants its users to consider in their videos. Explore these videos, sounds, or hashtags on each topic page and look for common themes or elements, such as a dance, a song, or an activity. If the topic you’re exploring contains a trending hashtag, consider adding it to your description. Or you could create a video matching what each video is discussing but in your own way. Tap the back icon (<) to return to the discover page. Scroll down the discover page to see what’s hot. Tap a video or two to see any common themes, and consider integrating those elements into your own videos. Tap a sound or hashtag to see a list of videos using that sound or hashtag. When you tap a trending sound, you can tap the Use This Sound button (see the left-side image in the figure below) to immediately start recording a video using that sound. If you tap a trending hashtag, tap the record button (see the right-side image in the figure below) and any effects, sounds, and other elements associated with that hashtag automatically load into a new recording screen for you. I typically sift through all the elements on the discover page briefly before publishing a video to be sure I’m using the latest and greatest hashtags, sounds, and themes. That way, I'm more likely to see additional views. The discover page changes constantly. The layout I discuss in this chapter may change by the time you read this. However, the principles of exploring the trending sounds, hashtags, and topics remain the same. Finding content through search The discover page sports a search box at the top, which you can use to find content using topics you’re interested in, as well as hashtags, other users, and sounds. To search for something, go to the discover page and follow these steps: Tap the search field. A list appears showing your recent searches. If this is your first time searching, the list will be empty. Type what you want to search for and then tap the Search button that appears on your device's keyboard. You can enter a hashtag, name, username, song name, name of an effect, or keyword. A search results page appears, displaying the default Top tab, with results organized by the top videos, hashtags, and users that TikTok determines are the most relevant to your search. Tap a video to watch it. Check out the Top tab if you’re trying to get inspiration for videos on a particular topic. If you tap the Sounds or Hashtags tab, you see a screen similar to the one in the figure above. Tap another tab (Users, Videos, Sounds, or Hashtags) to see a new search view, organized for that category. The categories are self-explanatory — no surprises here! To return to the discover page, tap the back icon (<) in the upper-left corner. You can find trending videos, memes, sounds, and hashtags on your For You and Following pages. What catches your attention? When I see videos on either page that spark a fun idea, I mark them as favorites, so I can sift through them later. To mark a video as a favorite, long-press the video and tap Add to Favorites. Grabbing your viewers’ attention With an understanding of the TikTok algorithm and a knowledge of the type of content that's trending, you’re ready to start creating videos that engage your audience! If your goal is to make a viral TikTok video, here are a few ideas (some from a few of my favorite popular TikTokers) that are sure to get your audience talking: Stay positive TikTok user Aaron Hanania, shown in the figure below, built an audience of tens of thousands by maintaining a message of positivity for his audience. In a message to me, he wrote: Positivity has allowed me to grow on TikTok because it’s unique to me. There are very few other influencers who not only spread positivity, but truly engage and get to know their audience. When someone joins my TikTok Live, I recognize their names; I remember things they share. And I think that’s important. Keep your content clean Certain types of content will get your content deleted or your account banned. Depictions of nudity, sexual content (even implied), firearms, and other forbidden topics outlined in TikTok’s community guidelines are not allowed. Know your audience. Although TikTok is full of risqué content, I’ve found that content that skirts the community guidelines (containing swear words and drug references) or is generally PG-13 (or above) tends to get fewer viewers. Exceptions to this rule exist, and you’ll have a better response if your audience expects this type of content. However, I recommend playing it safe when you can. Although you can invoke emotion, as I discuss next, or incite controversy, you may reach a larger audience by avoiding offense in the first place. As always, test to see what works best. No judgement here — I’m all about the data and what shows results! Some creators edit out curse words in descriptions, captions, and the text on their videos but still curse in the videos. If this is your desired type of content and your audience will respond well, consider this approach. TikTok's algorithm tends to give greater weight to onscreen text than audio. Invoke emotion Emotion — whether it's positive or negative, and whether you are showing humor, anger, sadness, or something else — makes people want to respond. When people feel something during a video, they want to do something with that feeling. Your goal in each video should be to invoke emotion in your audience. That’s why positivity is so important: It creates an emotion, in this case something positive or happy in the mind of the viewer. And that emotion makes them to want to do something with that feeling, such as share your video. However, controversy can also invoke emotion. TikTok users are highly opinionated, and everyone wants to share theirs! Quick Read Summary To go viral on TikTok, understanding the platform's algorithm is crucial. The TikTok algorithm determines what content appears on users' "For You" pages. While the exact workings of the algorithm are secret and change frequently, these principles have proven effective: Focus on engagement: Engagement is key. Videos that prompt actions like likes, comments, duets, or stitches tend to get more views and followers. Create content that grabs viewers' attention within the first few seconds. Quality matters: Well-produced, well-lit, and well-edited videos have an advantage. Good production quality can improve your standing in the algorithm. Follow trends: TikTok trends are ever-evolving. Participate in popular trends, duet or stitch videos with popular creators, or add your own twist to trending topics. This can boost your visibility. Short and sweet: Keep your content short, typically under 15 seconds. Short videos are favored, and TikTok rewards videos that retain viewers until the end. Timing matters: Be mindful of how quickly you post new videos targeting the same audience. Rapid posting can confuse the algorithm. Consistency is key: Make sure your content aligns with your account's theme and audience. Consistency helps TikTok understand who to show your content to. Use the Discover page on TikTok: On the Discover page, you can explore trending sounds, hashtags, and themes; consider incorporating them into your videos. Keep in mind that the Discover page is constantly changing. Use the search function: You can search to find trending content. Look for hashtags, users, sounds, or keywords, and explore the top results. Invoke emotion: When creating content, aim to grab viewers' attention by invoking emotions, whether positive or negative. Positivity can build a loyal audience, while controversy can also spark engagement. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for going viral on TikTok, as the algorithm is ever-changing. Experiment with different strategies, stay updated on trends, and focus on creating engaging content to increase your chances of TikTok success. Hungry for more? Go back and read the article or check out the book.

Article / Updated 09-14-2023

Multiple sources say there are now more than 800 million videos on YouTube and about 37 million channels. That's a lot of videos to sort through! If you're interested in looking at which videos are most viewed by YouTube visitors, you'll need to search by a category or channel. Here's how to do it. Search by category Go to YouTube and notice the Search field at the top of the page. In the Search field, enter the kind of videos you're interested in, such as "photography," or "dog training," or "Saturday Night Live." YouTube will then load your category of videos on the page. Click on "Filters" toward the upper right side of the page, and then under the heading "Sort By," select "View Count." YouTube will then sort the videos according to the most viewed, from top to bottom. Search by channel Go to YouTube. Click on the channel of your choice. You can find channels by searching with keywords in the Search field at the top of the page. For example, enter "football," and after the videos load, click on a channel name, which is always preceded by the @ symbol — such as, @MiamiDophins. Once you're on the channel of your choice, click the "Videos" tab. Next, click on the "Popular" button under the Videos section. If you don't see that button, click on the "Sort By" filter toward the top right of the screen and select "Most Popular" from the menu. Browse trending videos on YouTube If you're interested in seeing what is popular on YouTube in general, you can look at the Trending page. To find it: Go to YouTube. In the sidebar navigation on the left side of the screen, under "Explore," select "Trending."

Article / Updated 09-13-2023

One phenomenon created by the Internet is the spread of viral video. Just like a virus (except that it’s the good kind that won’t make you sick), a viral video spreads rapidly online and can garner a million views in a relatively short time. On the opposite side of the spectrum lies the evergreen video: As its name implies, videos with this distinction usually remain fresh and vibrant for longer periods, providing a timeless quality to the content. Your channel’s objective depends on being able to bring as many viewers as possible to your content. Sometimes that comes from a single, albeit extremely popular video, whereas at other times it’s more about having a healthy lineup of relevant content. Creating a single viral video can bring a great deal of attention to your channel, and those visits can quickly monetize into big bucks, especially with a video that garners a couple of million views. On the other hand, evergreen videos (see below) lend themselves to less dynamic, though more steady buildup through a variety of content that keeps people coming back. Don’t bet your YouTube strategy trying to create a viral video. When it comes to viral videos, there’s a random element to their success that cannot always be duplicated the next time around. Nevertheless, you can do some things to make success just a tad less random. Viral content Viral videos usually consist of some trendy or contemporary aspect that allows it to build a huge audience quite quickly. For example, a new dance craze or music video sometimes makes for the most watched video, but it can also consist of a dramatic news event or wild stunt that people can’t stop talking about. Sometimes it fades away as quickly as it started, whereas at other times it sticks around. Evergreen content Like a tree of shrubbery that never turns brown, the evergreen video remains popular with its niche audience for a long time. That’s because it consists of content that people are going to search for often and over an extended period. If YouTube were a refrigerator, comparing the two, a viral video would have a shorter expiration date to more evergreen content. Though there’s less pressure to creating a successful evergreen video, it still requires a lot of work to gain a following. You have to let people know that it’s out there while keeping it relevant for them to venture out and find you. The types of content that may have (potential) evergreen value include Instructional videos Educational videos Travel videos Overviews of holiday traditions Biographies of famous people Most evergreen content — instructional videos or content associated with a historical event, for example — doesn’t usually go viral but can enjoy a longer run of popularity because the content will continue to attract a steady stream of viewers.

Video / Updated 08-15-2023

Social media can be a great thing, but for parents, it can also be a scary thing. How do you give your kids the freedom to enjoy social media while still protecting them from the darker side of it? In this video, Amy Lupold Bair, author of the popular parenting blog Resourceful Mommy, offers her advice for setting family rules for age-appropriate social media use, as well as how to monitor your children and what to do when a child is faced with peer criticism or cyberbullying.

Article / Updated 08-03-2023

Listen to the article:Download audio Mastodon is a decentralized social media platform that's made up of thousands of separate computers (also known as servers or instances) that have all agreed to speak the same language and share certain data. When you create your Mastodon account, you get a username, which will be tied to one of these servers. Each server in the network has its own personality — and some servers pride themselves in having no particular personality. Every server is free to join, although some may be closed to new accounts or may require that you get on a waiting list. The most difficult part of getting a Mastodon account is choosing which server to join. Fortunately, there's a Mastodon web page (shown in the image below) to help you sort through your options. You can sign up for Mastodon using the app or the website. However, signing up on the website — on your desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone — is easier than signing up with the app. Your very first step in getting Mastodon is to go to the Join Mastodon page. Then, click the "Get the App" link to use the app or click "Create Account" to use your web browser. Both the website and the app are free, and creating your account on one allows you to use all the features of both. If you click "Get the App," you'll be taken to a screen where you can choose to go to the Apple App Store (to download the iPhone app) or to Google Play (to download the Android app). Once you get to the app store, download and install the Mastodon app as you would with any app. Because Mastodon is based on a free and open standard, there are many apps to choose from to use Mastodon. Start with the official one, which is called Mastodon. Browsing your options When you visit the Join Mastodon page and click the "Create Account" button, you'll be taken to the Servers page, which is shown below. Many more Mastodon servers than the ones you see when you scroll down this page are available. However, the servers on joinmastodon.org follow certain rules known as the Mastodon Server Covenant, which is an agreement by the server's owner to work to keep the server free of hate speech, to back up their data daily, to have a person on call to deal with technical issues with the server, and to give users of the server at least three months’ notice before shutting down the server. Because these servers have agreed to the Server Covenant, they are seen as trustworthy, stable, and safe places to serve as your home in the Mastodon universe. Although you can't go wrong with any of the instances listed on the servers page, some will be a better fit for you than others — and that's what makes Mastodon so cool! Spend some time browsing through the different servers listed here. Note that you have several options for filtering the results — including by geographical region and topic (listed on the left side of the screen) and by legal structure, sign-up speed, and language (selected from drop-down lists at the top), as shown below. Once you've found a server or two that sound like places where you'd like to hang out and call your home base, the first potentially make-or-break characteristic of the server is the sign-up speed, which is how fast it will take for you to get an account. Understanding sign-up speed When you browse the list of servers, you'll see two types of buttons: "Apply for an Account" button and "Create Account." The "Create Account" button means that the server has instant signup: You can have a new account on that server in the amount of time it takes for you to choose a username and a password. Servers with an "Apply for an Account" button require that new accounts be approved by an administrator. This approval may take only a few minutes or a day. If you're super-excited to start using Mastodon, go with one of the servers that have the blue "Create Account" button. Don't worry too much about picking the perfect server. Choosing a server doesn't have to be permanent. You can move your account (and all of your followers!) to another server easily after you sign up. Reading the rules Regardless of whether you choose to apply for an account or go with a server that has instant account creation, check out the rules of your chosen server before you commit. To see a server's rules, first click the "Create Account" or "Apply for an Account" button to go to the server. Once on the server, you'll see a description of the server on the left, with the name of the server administrator and the number of users. Below the server information, click "Learn More" to read more about the server, including its code of conduct, which describes the guidelines for how users are expected to behave while using the server. Rather than having a complicated set of rules that try to make the greatest number of people happy and end up pleasing no one (such as what centralized platforms like Twitter and Facebook must do), each Mastodon server sets specific rules and the conduct expected from users. If you don't like the code of conduct on one server, check out other servers until you find one with a code of conduct more in keeping with your beliefs. Previewing a server When you sign up using a web browser, many of the servers listed at joinmastodon.org allow you to browse the content on the server before joining. If you click to the server and see posts, rather than immediately seeing a sign-up or login page, you've come to one of these. To see the content posted by the local users of the server, click the "Local" link on the right side of the page. The posts listed under "Local" are by people who would be your neighbors if you were to join this server. Are they talking about things you're interested in? If so, this may be the perfect server for you! Meeting the admin Another way to choose a server is to find out more about the person running it. Every server prominently displays the person in charge of keeping the server running and enforcing the server's rules. Click their profile from the server's home page or from the server's "About" page to read more about them and to see the things they're interested in and what they post. On Mastodon, the admin sets the tone for the server. If the admin seems like someone you'd like to hang out with, that's a good indication that you've found a home. Seeing why smaller is better A server might have just a handful of members to many thousands. Servers with a smaller number of users are vital to keeping the entire universe interesting and avoiding a monoculture. Smaller servers also tend to have stronger personalities than larger servers. And smaller servers are often less prone to slowing down because they're less likely to get a lot of traffic. Because every server allows access to the other servers, you have nothing to lose by going with a smaller one. In the same way that you're more likely to make friends in a small community group versus an international club with millions of members, joining a smaller Mastodon server makes you a bigger fish because the pond is smaller.

Article / Updated 08-03-2023

Creating TikTok videos is easy. Maybe you already created a video when TikTok prompted you to try after you set up your account. There are many things you can do with TikTok, like adding sounds and music, photos and other videos, but for this article, here are the basics: Tap the plus (+) icon. The plus icon appears at the bottom of the screen after you log in. If this is your first time using the app or opening the recording screen, give the app permission to access your camera, audio, and photo library. Look over the recording page, which is shown below. The recording page is what I call a “movie studio in your pocket. For now, become familiar with the following elements: The big red record button near the bottom The Effects icon, to the left of the red record button The 60s (60-second) and 15s (15-second) video length options at the bottom of the screen Select your video length. Tap 60s for anything greater than 15 seconds (to a maximum of 60 seconds), or leave this option at the default 15s for videos up to 15 seconds. (Optional) Choose an effect. Effects are optional, but I wanted to include a description to show you how fun TikTok can be: (a) Tap Effects to the left of the red record button and browse through the effects, as shown below. TikTok, similar to apps such as Snapchat, usually provides instructions on how to use the effect. (b) Tap an effect you like and try it out by following the instructions on the screen. Select another effect if you don’t like that one. Feel free to scroll through and try them all. (c) Tap anywhere outside the Effects dialog to return to the recording screen. Or tap the circle with a line in the upper left of the Effects dialog if you decide you don’t want to use any effects. The effect begins when you start recording, as discussed in Step 6. Place what you want to record inside the frame. Choose what you want to record, and place that person or thing inside the camera frame. Note that you can tap the Flip icon or double-tap anywhere on the screen to flip the camera view. Tap the red record button. If you tap the button once, TikTok will record automatically until you either tap the button briefly again or your 15-second or 60-second time is up. You can also long-press (press and hold down) the record button, and the TikTok app will record for as long as you hold down that button or your time is up. Long-pressing the record button can be useful for — wait for it (you’re about to be smarter than 80 percent of TikTok users) — zooming! To try it, long-press the record button and, with your finger still down, slide the button up to zoom in and down to zoom out. Boom! Instant zoom as you’re recording. When you release the button, TikTok stops recording. If you finish filming before reaching the time limit (15 or 60 seconds) click the red check mark in the bottom-right corner. When you finish recording your video, the page shown below appears — either automatically or after you tap the check mark. (Optional) Add sounds or additional effects. Then tap Next. You can choose sounds and other effects to add to your video. Add a description and configure sharing options. On the next page, shown in the image below, add a description about your video (150 characters or less). I usually tap the #Hashtags button and select a popular hashtag or two to add to the video. (If you used an effect in your video, TikTok may automatically add a hashtag for that effect in the description; you can keep it or delete it.)I also suggest turning on the "Allow Duet" and "Allow Stitch" options to allow others to share your video. Just tap each slider and it will move to the on position and turn green. To post your video, tap the "Post" button. If this is your first time posting a video, you're asked to verify that it’s okay to publish the video publicly. If you want your creation to be seen by the world, tap "Post Now." If you would rather it remain private, select "Me Only" under "Who Can Watch This Video." The For You page will appear, with the video you just created uploading in the upper-left corner, along with videos from other recommended video creators, which TikTok selects for you, if you’re not following anyone yet. When the video has finished uploading, it will play automatically on the For You or Following page as long as you keep the app open, repeating itself over and over unless you tap the screen to pause. Congratulations! You just created your first TikTok video.

Article / Updated 08-03-2023

Like others in my generation — the brief generation known as xennials, for those born on the cusp between Gen X (born in the 1960s and 1970s) and the millennials (born in the 1980s or 1990s) — I've become adept at adapting to ever-changing tech cultures and jargon. After all, we invented the familiar LOLs and BRBs of AOL Instant Messenger, along with social media emojis and other forms of shortened communication styles. Now my kids, who are in Gen Z (born in the late 1990s and early 2000s), are claiming new forms of communication, much of it gaining popularity on TikTok. TikTok culture is shaping the way we, their parents and grandparents, have to learn to communicate with them. No cap! (I explain that last term below, under "Speaking TikTok jargon.") Becoming familiar with TikTok culture TikTok has developed a different culture than other social networks you may be used to, such as Facebook or Twitter. You'll be most successful understanding this culture when you begin creating content on the platform. The key to understanding TikTok’s culture is to know these principles: You’re not alone! TikTok has an estimated 1.1 billion users. (A second version of TikTok, called Douyin, is available only in China.) You’ll find thriving communities in just about any genre and interest you can think of, including religion, mental health, sports, music, arts, crafts, and cooking. For example, popular TikTok user @catieosaurus uses her TikTok account to talk about ADHD, as shown below. TikTok is about being yourself Many popular accounts convey the person's normal, everyday life. Big-name celebrities, such as Andy Grammer, use TikTok to share the behind-the-scenes of their everyday lives. Chef Gordon Ramsey’s daughter pranks her dad (he goes along with it!) for the world to see. On TikTok, everyone is human. You get to be as well. TikTok is one very large conversation The comment, like, duet, and stitch features get people interacting in fun and creative ways. For example, popular influencers might start a dance, or begin a conversation, or sing a song and ask their audiences to join in. (An influencer is a person on social media with many followers or the ability to make content go viral and even affect product purchases.) As you surf the For You page, you might discover one of their followers joining in, and get inspired to do your own creative twist for your own audience. Your audience comments and participates themselves, and the conversation continues. You can also use hashtags so that the conversation you’re participating in is categorized with similar videos. TikTok is about creativity and having fun! TikTok’s mission statement is, “TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy.” As you create content on the TikTok platform, don’t assume that you have to know how to dance, sing, or draw. Think about what you have to offer that is unique and creative and might spark joy in whoever watches and interacts with your content. For example, Aaron Hanania, shown in Figure 5-2, spreads positivity to his audience. Most importantly, have fun! A welcoming community is there to cheer you on. There you go! I now dub thee, Sir or Madame (or whatever your preferred royal pronoun) reader, a part of the TikTok culture. Speaking TikTok jargon Knowing a little TikTok jargon can help you sound like one of the cool kids. Trust me on this. Here are some of the top TikTok slang words and jargon you might come across as you’re using the app. Many of these are used by Gen Z, so when I'm in doubt, I just ask my kids (sheesh, I feel old): X TikTok: When creators say they’ve stumbled upon Dog TikTok, or Cat TikTok, or TikTok For Dummies TikTok or any other number of TikToks, they’re talking about a specific group or community of people with similar interests. Usage: “Congratulations, you’ve stumbled upon Fruit Snack TikTok, where all your Fruit Snack cravings can come true!” Using the X TikTok verbiage can be a great way to encourage your audience to join your club of followers obsessed with something as silly as fruit snacks. They might even make their own videos and duets about the exclusive club you’ve created. Cap or No Cap: These were popularized by the song “No Cap” by rappers Young Thug & Future in 2017. Cap (designated by a baseball cap emoji) means lie. No Cap (designated by the prohibited emoji followed by the baseball cap) means no lie or for real. You often see the emojis used in comments if someone agrees (the no cap emoji sequence) or doesn’t believe you (the cap emoji). Usage: “No cap! TikTok For Dummies will teach anyone how to get acclimated to TikTok!” (See what I did there?) Extra: When someone’s a little extra, they’re being overly dramatic or over-the-top. Usage: “David seems to get into everyone’s business and always wants to be the center of attention. He’s so extra!” Simp: The original Gen Z users started using TikTok to meet and date other users. They’re all about flirting, and simp is a term that means someone is doing too much for another person he or she likes. Usage: “She’s such a simp towards Allen. He doesn’t even give her much, but she can’t stop trying to please him!” Karen: A Karen is a woman who gets in everyone’s business, feeling she’s entitled to do so. The male equivalent is a Chad. Usage: “He’s such a Chad — he thinks he runs this town, reporting every violation he can find!” Bet: Short for you bet or sure. It means you acknowledge what’s being said. Usage: Person 1: “Y’all better finish reading this book soon so I can read it next!” Person 2: “Bet.” Thirst trap: You’ll see this term a lot on TikTok. When people create a post solely to get attention from those who might be attracted to them, it’s called a thirst trap. Usage: “Ha! This video is such a thirst trap. Look at all the guys simping on her!” Sus: If you’re familiar with the popular computer game Among Us, you’ll recognize this term, which suggests someone is suspicious. On TikTok, it's used anytime something seems suspicious. Usage: “I don’t know — this video seems a bit sus. I think that hair looks like a wig.” Boomer: Originally used to define people in the baby boomer generation, boomer now means someone deemed too old for a younger person to grasp. Usage (I'm quoting my kids here): “You’re such a boomer, Dad. You don’t even understand what sus means.” Yeet: This term is used to convey excitement, approval, surprise, or just energy. Usage: “Can’t wait for my mom to get on TikTok! Yeet yeet!” Clown emoji 🤡: Appearing in comments, this term usually means something is foolish, scary, or suspicious. It’s usually not a positive term. Usage: Person 1: “I’m going to climb up this rock wall.” Person 2: 🤡

Article / Updated 04-14-2023

On the left side of the Twitter Account page, you’ll notice lots of links. Each one of those links has settings that can improve the time you spend on the Twitter platform. Here’s a short overview of some of what you can set in Twitter. Privacy and Safety is the best area for being sure you have a pleasant time on Twitter. Here you can make decisions as to how much contact you want from Twitter and from those with whom you connect on the site. Just be sure to read anything you are agreeing to before you give permission. Here’s a few things to consider: Don’t protect your Tweets; this makes them visible only to those whom you follow. If you set this, someone (perhaps an old friend) will find you through search, but can’t see what you’re sharing. People get to know you and about you by reading your Tweets. Twitter is a public forum, so be careful what you say (or are willing to defend or argue). Never post anything on Twitter that you wouldn’t want to see printed in your local newspaper. More than one celebrity has done this at one time or another and regretted it. You can delete Tweets, but they stay in the public timeline from the time you post until the time you delete them, and someone might take a screen shot. Why add a location to your Tweets? Unless you want the public to know every place you are, leave this option blank. Address book. Address books are tricky if you want to keep your contacts private. If you uploaded every contact you have, you might find some on Twitter and compromise your friends’ privacy. Direct Messages are private messages that you access in a different area from the public timeline. There’s a lot of strangers out there. You can opt to receive Direct Messages from anyone or not. Send/Receive read receipts. If you read a private, Direct Message and choose not to respond, it could be considered a breach of etiquette. So you turn this option off and answer messages in your own time. The Safety area. This covers sensitive content and Tweet media settings, which allow you to label your media for the appropriate viewers, and select whose media appears on your Twitter home page. If you prefer not to see possibly offensive images, leave Display Media That May Contain Sensitive Content unselected. If you plan on posting some racy pictures, select the Mark my Media as Containing Sensitive Content check box — to protect the innocent. A most important Twitter setting Buried subtly below the very prominent Manage Your Contacts bar is an innocent-looking category called Personalization and Data. There’s no free lunch on the Internet. If you followed any of the very public brou-ha-ha over the Facebook Cambridge Analytics scandal, this is where those permissions can leave you open. Next to the bold phrase Allow Some, click the word Edit. The page that opens here transparently shows you where and how your data might be shared. (This advice is relevant on other platforms as well.) Personalized Ads. This means that the ads you see on Twitter would be based on your interests. Twitter knows your interests because of the words you share on the platform. For example, if you talk about dogs, you might see pet food ads; talk about a garden and you could see ads from florists or gardening suppliers; talk about politicians and you may see political ads. Get it? You can opt in or not right here. Personalize based on your devices. This option gets a bit trickier. When you’re on Twitter, they obviously can see what you comment on and how you feel about things. Know this about your devices, this is one thing you can’t control: Every browser or app you use on any device accesses the web via its own IP address set by the Internet provider. The IP address doesn’t expose you personally, but it would indicate that, say, someone from Atlanta, Georgia is visiting a website at a certain time, on an iPhone using the iOS operating system (and what version). What you can control with this setting is whether you give Twitter permission to follow you around the web for further information on your interests. Personalize on the places you’ve been. This permission allows Twitter to serve you ads that may be relevant when you are away from home. This can be a good thing when you’re traveling, like getting an ad from a local restaurant. Remember that because when you are on a mobile device, websites can tell where you are anyway. Track where you see Twitter content across the web. Data (not personalized — meaning they don’t know your name, Twitter ID, email address, or phone number) will be used when you browse the Internet to serve up ads on websites that match your interests. Share your data with Twitter’s business partners. This generally means they sell. (A business needs to make money, right?) Twitter might “share” device-level data (like that IP address), demographics about you, your interests, and what ads you’ve viewed (and/or taken action on). Again, as in the paragraph prior, your actual personal information will not be “shared.” Revisit these permissions occasionally on all platforms to see what changes have been made and keep up on any changes in Twitter Privacy.

Article / Updated 03-27-2023

The Internet, especially social media, has some mysterious words of its own that are not always understood by those over 30. Understanding (and using) these acronyms may help you chip away at a possible bias. Plus, it’s an eye-opener when you understand the secret (ever-changing) language of internet slang kids use today. These internet slang terms are for intermittent usage; don’t use them too often or you’ll be deemed uncool. It would be easy to list a hundred, but for brevity’s sake, here are some favorite Internet slang phrases. AMA: Ask Me Anything. This started on a website called Reddit, where an authority on a subject takes open questions. BAE: Before Anything Else. This acronym is generally used when referring to one’s sweetie or dear one. DM: Direct Message (also PM = Private Message). The default way to give permission for someone to message you in private. ELI5: Explain Like I’m 5. When you want a simple, short explanation of something. Epic: An adjective to describe anything huge or amazing. Facepalm: Reaction when someone says or does something incredibly stupid. ICYMI: In Case You Missed It. When you mention something that you think most people already know or you have said it before. Manners count. IMHO: In my humble opinion. Use when you’re trying to put across a point, but you don’t want to be pushy about it. IRL: In Real Life. Real life versus Internet life. JSYK: Just So You Know. This is the new way of writing FYI. Lulz: For the laughs. A derivative of the longstanding LOL (Laughing Out Loud), meaning you did something just for fun. Lurker: Someone who follows a chat or a forum but never comments. (This is a perfectly acceptable practice.) Meme: Superimposing a snarky comment (or captioning an image) on a photo. I would show you a screen shot, but they are generally NSFW. You can make your own memes with this meme generator. NSFW: Not Safe For Work. Anything marked NSFW should not be viewed on a big screen in a public environment. Photobomb: When someone (human or animal) unexpectedly appears in a photo. Like when your cousin Larry jumped in between you and your Bae while taking a selfie. PWNED: When you’ve been PWNED, you’ve been defeated or humiliated and your opponent has victory over you. Also used as a noun: PWNAGE. SMH: Shaking my Head. Conveys disappointment in something someone does or says. TBT: Throwback Thursday. When you want to share something from the past, do it on a Thursday and tag it #TBT. TL;DR: Too Long; Didn’t Read. If you share an article that seems really valuable, but it went into minute detail, you might not have time to read the entire thing. Mark your comment TL;DR. TROLL: Trolls are people who post to annoy or anger you. They can be terribly annoying. The best advice I have is, “Don’t feed the trolls.” Just block them and move forward. Well played: A response when someone does something particularly well. YOLO: You Only Live Once. Your excuse to do something incredibly wacky. There are many Internet slang dictionaries on the web, but view at your own risk (just for lulz).