15-24 year olds are abandoning streaming platforms like Netflix, Disney or Amazon Prime Video in favor of TikTok. A success that implies responsibilities towards the youngest for the social network, especially for live videos.
We often talk about the battle between video on demand (SVOD) services and linear television channels, or even the war between Netflix, Disney++ and Amazon – to name a few – to attract and retain their subscribers. However, the danger could come from a completely different horizon, since, according to the very serious Mediametrie institute, adolescents and young adults are now abandoning streaming platforms for… TikTok! The social network is not only the official competitor of Meta – which owns Facebook and Instagram -, and its ambition is limitless – the Chinese firm even plans to get started in e-commerce. It is not without reason that it is the most downloaded application at the beginning of the year 2022. But its popularity with young audiences comes with heavy responsibilities, particularly in terms of protecting its privacy and dealing with inappropriate content.
TikTok: the platform that fascinates young people
According to the latest barometer on SVoD consumption from Mediametrie published in early October, more and more 15-24 year olds are deserting streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video or Salto. They were 1.17 million to have watched at least one SVOD between July and September 2022. This is 400,000 young users less than in the third quarter of 2021, a drop of 44%. All the same ! But the damage does not stop there, since the time spent watching streaming has also decreased. Between 2020 and 2022, the platforms lost no less than 45 minutes of attention from 15-24 year olds – not sure that the arrival of offers with advertising will change things, on the contrary… At the same time, young people more and more time in front of TikTok. According to data compiled by data.ai, a user spends an average of 23.6 hours per month on the Chinese social network. Between 2020 and 2022 the time spent on it has increased by 140%!
But where TikTok is “dangerous” for platforms in different sectors is that it is not just a social network intended for entertainment. Many teenagers and young adults use it as a search engine or as a source of information – even Google recognizes this. In the end, no matter what form it takes, it’s the users’ time that is the real target. Because the more time they spend having fun on the Chinese social network, the less time and attention they have for other services. The strength of TikTok is in its very short format, which precisely gives the impression of doing a lot more things in less time, and requires less concentration. Other social networks have understood this – just see Instagram converting all its videos to Reels and YouTube to Shorts. In comparison, a movie or a series requires much more effort and continuous available time.
TikTok: livestreams reserved for those over 18
But TikTok doesn’t just appeal to younger people, so the social network is home to sensitive content. And if the platform offers many algorithms to identify videos of a sexual nature and hate speech, lives are more difficult to control. This is why, as announced by the firm in a statement, 18+ livestreams will arrive in the coming weeks via an update. Content creators will be able to organize broadcasts reserved for an informed public, with flowery language or sensitive subjects. They will also be able to block certain keywords in the comments in order to avoid abuse and abuse. Moreover, following many incidents where elderly viewers paid teenagers to strip naked online, and where high school students threatened to carry out a shooting in schools, the minimum age for hosts of a livestream will increase from 16 to 18 from next November 23 .
“To protect our users and creators and support their well-being, we are constantly working to evolve the safeguards we put in place”, said TikTok. “We believe these updates (…) can further protect young members of our community as they start and grow their online presence.” All its measures therefore do not serve to make TikTok the new OnlyFans – a platform which gives access, via a monthly subscription, to exclusive content, often of a sexual nature – but to make the social network a safe place for all.