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A while ago, I mentionned my new addiction to TikTok.

I am now up to 13 short videos of my own… Mainly taking advantage of Freja’s cuteness. I have not gone viral so far, and that’s perfectly fine with me. I am much more of a ”voyeur” than an entertainer.

But there is something that really puzzles me.

TikTok allows users that have 1000+ followers (and apparently people who are good at arguying that they should have that right no matter what) to make Live sessions. Usually, TikTok videos are 3 minutes long or less (most of the time from 30 seconds to a minute long), but Live streams can last as long as you wish.

I’ve not done much research to this day, but I am guessing that people make money out of these live presentations.

Some do make the most out of it. I follow a couple of TikTokers who raise money to give back to the poor… Not always super entertaining, but I love the outcome. If I had more than 4 followers, I’d consider doing it too. Others arrange live tutorials for different kind of crafts, or give advice about hair dressing. Make up artists film themselves, going through step by step transformations.

I get that, but some people are just weird.

Here’s a short list of the oddest Live sessions I’ve witnessed (so far):

 

On the road Lives

I don’t know about where you come from, but here, in Québec, people aren’t allowed to use their cell phones while driving. I understand that long drives can be boring, but I just can’t approve of someone having a Live at the wheel. Knowing that the participants can only interact (comment or ask questions) with the host via written chat, it seems obvious to me that these sessions are just plain dangerous. Seriously, people… Keep your eyes on the road, for everybody’s safety. You can go Live when you get home!

 

At work Lives

How boring is your job, if you need your followers to entertain you while you work? But more importantly, how boring is your life, if you feel the need to watch a cashier work for what? Hours? Needless to say that the interaction during these Lives is greatly reduced by the fact that the host is (hopefully) doing their job, and not paying much attention to the people commenting. Saying that these sessions are useless would be an understatement, and again, I wonder why these TikTokers don’t just wait until they’re home. If only they were doing an interesting to watch job!

 

Two pals chatting Lives

In some cases, there is a co-host during the Live session. You’d think that would mean twice the interaction with the followers, right? Think again! So far, every time I’ve come across one of these, the two hosts were mainly discussing with each other, and not really paying attention to any of the comments, unless someone they knew popped in. I do enjoy a good video chat with a friend, but I wouldn’t let literally anyone listen to our conversation!! Let’s bet that some of these TikTokers are the kind who complain about multi-national companies and governement trying to chip us to know everything about our lives… *Sigh*

 

The silent Lives

I haven’t scrolled into many of this kind, and thank God for that. I have very mixed feelings about them. What hapens here, is that the host is filming themselve, apparently reading what people stopping by are writing, but not responding in any way. Usually the person seems upset, sometimes crying profusely. In a way, I feel bad for them. I imagine that some of them really are distressed, and it is terrible to witness someone suffering without being able to do something. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that others just do this to attract attention and get more followers… All in all, a big no-no for me.

 

WTF Lives

These I don’t get at all. The camera is rolling, but there’s no one on the screen, and no reply whatsoever to any comment. You’re just watching a room where nothing’s hapenning. Nothing. I’ve once stayed a couple of minutes, in one of those sessions, thinking that the host might just have gone to the bathroom… But no! Just a messy room, no action, yet hundreds of people staring at the dirty wall.

 

The Internets will never cease to amaze me…

For better and for worse!