TikTok has become a huge part of teenagers’ lives all across the world, it seems that everything we do revolves around this time-consuming and influential app. From things like the language we use to the clothes we choose to wear all stem from the simple 15-second videos we may come across in the hours of scrolling. I myself am a victim of the TikTok obsession, I constantly find myself losing track of time endlessly scrolling and scrolling like a robot, sometimes not even taking in the content I am watching or enjoying it at all. Don’t get me wrong I think that TikTok can have its perks, for example, I follow many educational accounts that help me with exam techniques, subject practice, and revision tips. However, I think the good is completely drowned by the danger and extreme freedom of the app. TikTok is no longer just a dancing and comedy app for children to have a bit of fun but it is now the biggest influence on teens and how they choose to live their lives. The phrase “Chronically online” describes those who spend so much time online it hinders their sense of reality because they lack real-world experience. It is used by many TikTok users in comment sections when watching a video that may be seen as extreme and problematic. However, I think that without realizing we have all become a least a little chronically online especially when it comes to TikTok. Every teenager that uses TikTok at some point has bought into a trend or has watched a video where someone is talking about a popular topic and they seem to be saying all the right stuff and they have millions of views and likes, so it must be true right? That video may have now just influenced their views without showing any proper source of evidence and that teenager has now without knowing been manipulated into believing and acting a certain way. Of course, it isn’t always that easy but after seeing many videos about people sharing their views you subconsciously will probably start to believe what they’re saying, on the pure basis that it looks like everyone else is agreeing with them. We as young people don’t want to stand out so find ourselves just following the pack, and most of us are too scared to speak out. That is how this app now feels to me. You have to follow the trends, follow and like certain people because if you don’t you are different and unliked by the majority. The app is no longer fun but just an overcrowded place for people to throw their views and beliefs onto young impressionable app users.