Why TikTok Isn’t Just Another App (Video)
It’s the most powerful influence machine ever built, and it works differently from anything America has seen before.
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans now use TikTok, and for those under 30, it’s closer to 2 out of 3. Globally, the app has more than 1.5 billion active users—bigger than Instagram was at the same stage of growth.
And it’s not just dancing videos anymore: according to Pew Research, 1 in 5 U.S. adults now get their news from TikTok—a share that’s tripled since 2020. That means the app and its Chinese ownership is shaping how millions of people think about politics, health, culture, and the world.
So even if you don’t use TikTok, it’s influencing the people around you—your kids, your coworkers, and even how the news reaches your community.
Most people think of TikTok as just another social media platform. A place for funny videos, quick entertainment, maybe some shopping.
But TikTok is different. Very different.
It’s the only major global app built on an algorithm first, not your friends first.
On Instagram or Facebook, you mostly see people you follow. On TikTok, you’re fed strangers’ videos within minutes—chosen not by you, but by a machine that learns what grabs your eyes and emotions faster than any other system on Earth.
That’s why TikTok feels more addictive. Its “For You” feed can figure you out in less than an hour. That’s also why even a brand-new account has been shown self-harm and eating disorder content within minutes.
Watch the full discussion I had with Holly Kellum, media researcher and host of Newspeak about TikTok.
A Deal With High Stakes
The U.S. government knows TikTok isn’t just another app. Congress passed a law forcing its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell or face a total ban. The Supreme Court upheld it. And now a new deal is in motion: Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will take majority control in the U.S., with ByteDance holding a smaller share.
But many questions remain:
Will ByteDance still have influence through algorithm licensing?
Who is responsible for the hundreds of lawsuits, from children’s deaths linked to viral “challenges,” to claims of addiction and mental health damage?
Will China even approve the transfer of TikTok’s technology?
The clock is ticking: the deal must be finalized by early 2026, or TikTok could go dark in the U.S.
The Harms We Already Know
TikTok has been tied to some of the worst stories in social media history:
Child deaths: The “Blackout Challenge” has been linked to at least 20 children worldwide, including a 10-year-old in Anderson v. TikTok.
Mental health lawsuits: 13 states and D.C. have sued, accusing TikTok of fueling anxiety, depression, and addictive design in children. Leaked documents show TikTok knew the dangers.
Privacy violations: In 2021, TikTok paid $92 million for secretly sending user data abroad.
Harmful content exposure: Research shows new accounts quickly see self-harm material, and Amnesty found feeds flooded with depressive content after just a few hours.
These aren’t small mistakes. They’re systemic patterns.
Why Critics Call TikTok a Weapon
Some people (like me!) argue that TikTok is more than entertainment, that it’s a tool of cognitive warfare. The claim: the Chinese Communist Party could influence what Americans see by suppressing content critical of Beijing while boosting divisive or harmful material.
We know that TikTok censors content and boosts content according to China’s political preferences, and we also know that China has its own version of the app that is completely different, and much less harmful, for China’s youth:
In China, their version of TikTok (called Douyin) enforces strict youth controls (40 minutes/day for under-14s, access banned after 10pm daily).
In the U.S., TikTok has been shown to bring up psychologically harmful content to minors within minutes of opening an account, manipulating their developing brains in emotion-driven addiction patterns to keep them scrolling for hours on end.
One version protects children. The other exploits them. Add on political censorship and manipulation that became most obvious in 2019 with even mainstream media coverage, and extremely addictive technology and you’ve got a recipe for a powerfully seductive weapon of cognitive warfare sitting in the pockets of more than a billion people.
What This Means for You
If you find yourself scrolling on any platform, remember: You’re facing a powerful system engineered to hijack your brain’s normal functions and keep you hooked and emotionally unsettled.
These apps thrive on outrage, comparison, and despair because negative emotions keep you engaged longer. The more you feel stuck, the more valuable you are to them.
And remember, this tech is worse for kids because their brains haven’t stopped growing yet, so every scroll is being etched into the foundation of their future minds.
Mind Armor: How to Break the Cycle
Here’s how to protect yourself from these addictive tech loops:
Know the game: Remember TikTok isn’t a neutral feed, it’s an influence machine.
Set boundaries: Use time limits or delete the app when you notice emotional spirals.
Seek better inputs: Replace doomscrolling with positive, long-form, or uplifting content.
Reclaim attention: When you want to reach for your phone, take a walk, journal, or call a friend instead.
Rebuild human bonds: Real connections can’t be gamed by algorithms.
Want More on How the Tiktok Algorithm Works on Your Brain?
In this week’s Mind Armor: THE DARK SIDE, I take you step by step through the weaponized slot machine to see:
The hidden “first-hour test” TikTok runs on every new user.
The micro-signals it tracks, down to your scroll speed and pauses.
The casino-style slot machine trick that makes the app harder to quit than Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.
Links to lawsuits, leaked documents, and watchdog investigations to show exactly what’s going on, and how to defend yourself against it.
👉 Unlock the full Dark Side breakdown here.
Closing
The U.S. government is still negotiating the future of the platform that is shaping our world’s future. But your future doesn’t depend on them.
The real battlefield is your own attention. And every choice you make, to scroll or to stop, to react or to reflect, is a chance to step out of the trap.
Protect your mind. Protect your future. That’s your Mind Armor.
Till next week,
~ Kay
Kay Rubacek is a strategist trained in marketing and psychology with 25+ years in media and communications. She has written books, produced award-winning films on tyranny, and now advises mission-based leaders on how to use human value and communications to win for good. www.KayRubacek.com
Unfortunately, tiktok is all over X. This whole AI chat bot world is in control of young (and old) minds. We need to put God and quiet time first in our lives to survive this--we must protect our children.
I have no interest in using tik tok.