5 Things Everyone Seems To Trust TikTok For That Smart People Would Never Even Consider
Do you let TikTok take the place of professionals and experts in your life?
Khanh Do | Unsplash It’s easy to be lulled into a sense of security by numbers and think that influencers have your best interests at heart. After all, with so many followers, views and likes, they can’t possibly be wrong, right? While it’s tempting to believe this, most people who post content on social media platforms like TikTok are just normal people with no real expertise or qualifications. Even if they are qualified to dispense advice in some way, you can’t really trust the general knowledge they’re sharing with every single person who watches their videos.
A lot of people use TikTok like a search engine and look up any question they may have. Instead of going to more reputable sources, they rely on regular people to give them recommendations on important topics. Normal people follow this pattern of trusting TikTok for advice, while smart people know that TikTok does not hold all of the answers to their questions, no matter how convenient and popular it may be.
1. Financial tips
Kaboompics.com | Pexels
Everyone wants to know how to stretch their money farther and earn more, but no one really wants to spend the money it takes to do that with a financial planner or accountant. That’s where TikTok comes in. You can look up any information you may be wondering about regarding investing, stocks, and savings accounts with just a few taps of your fingers.
Unfortunately, according to Edelman Financial Engines' Everyday Wealth in America 2024 report, 27% of social media users have gotten bad financial advice from platforms like TikTok and taken it, much to their detriment. There’s no way to tell what the exact consequences of such actions were, but with statistics like that, it’s not hard to imagine people losing money and making bad deals.
When you’re taking financial tips from a TikToker, Jean Chatzky, the CEO of HerMoney.com, who worked on the report with Edelman Financial Engines, said you have to consider a person’s qualifications. “Check out who you are listening to and what their background is and whether they actually have the credentials to be leading you down the road you are about to follow,” she said. It’s easy enough to do a quick Google search on someone to find out if they really do have the background needed to advise you and others on money. Smart people know this and only take financial tips from experts with credentials.
2. Legal advice
TikTok is full of lawyers who are trying to grow their reach and, by extension, their business. You can look up virtually any legal issue and find someone’s advice on the matter. This is taking the easy way out, though. Normal people may think a 30-second video clip can make up for a consultation with an attorney, but smart people know that is not true, especially when it comes to really important, serious subjects.
Attorney Lindy Laurence described a situation in Australia where TikTok caused mass fraud. Users made people watching their videos think that it was possible to get a tax refund by registering for an Australian Business Number, which was actually illegal for citizens to do unless they had an actual, you know, business.
Laurence pointed out that TikTok legal “professionals” may not really be who they claim to be. And, even if they are, they are “oversimplifying” explanations for complex issues, and they do not know your personal circumstances, so they can’t really advise you personally. Smart people understand that the best way to get legal advice is from an attorney who comes highly recommended. You have to pay them, but it’s worth it to know you’re getting proper legal advice.
3. Birth control information
Talker Research’s Stephen Beech said that researchers from La Trobe University in Australia examined TikTok content regarding birth control and discovered some disturbing trends. Their findings were published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. They concluded that 53% of TikTokers did not like the idea of using traditional hormonal birth control, and 34% did not trust medical professionals. Instead, 38% of creators preferred more holistic options, like fertility awareness and cycle tracking.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Caroline de Moel-Mandel, said this is very problematic for a variety of reasons. “Many TikTok creators promoted natural contraceptive methods like fertility tracking without disclosing their limitations, which include accurately tracking hormone fluctuations, motivation, and partner cooperation,” she stated. “Importantly, they failed to mention that these methods are generally ineffective when used on their own.”
Smart people know that it’s a much better idea for women to check in with actual medical professionals to work out the best contraceptive for them. And, if they are concerned about taking a pill, there are other options out there. But relying on natural methods can lead to inaccuracy and unplanned pregnancies, which is why smart people avoid relying on TikTok for this information.
4. Relationship pointers
You would think that people would know not to trust TikTok with something as important and delicate as their romantic relationship, but it still happens. One Reddit user shared their own experience, saying that while there was some quality information on the app, most of it was not worth their time and could contribute to issues like relationship obsessive-compulsive disorder or relationship anxiety. “Once I got rid of TikTok, I didn’t have to make my relationship perfect based on someone else’s beliefs and opinions,” they said.
Vice writer Rachel Barker agreed. She said that “TikTok in particular … has become the criminal offender in uneducated advice.” Barker continued, “There are plenty of qualified therapists, psychiatrists and counselors doing their best to help people who can’t afford therapy, creating video content that’s watchable for free … But, on a platform driven by its algorithm, the more relationship-based videos you watch the more likely it is that TikTok will start serving you seemingly similar content from people, just without the education and qualifications to back themselves up.”
Normal people who trust TikTok for relationship advice scroll through videos hoping to learn why their partner has picked up a certain behavior or if they’re doomed because of the kind of people their partner hangs out with. Smart people know that relationships are so much more complicated than the scope of TikTok and only take advice from people who really know them, or from trusted professionals, instead of random people who make TikToks.
5. Mental health treatment
Pavel Danilyuk | Pexels
There are a lot of posts on TikTok about mental health, and it’s easy enough to watch one and suddenly think you’ve diagnosed yourself with something serious and have solved all of the problems you’ve faced since childhood. What makes this even more complicated is the fact that a lot of those videos about mental health come from people who actually are experts. And how can they be wrong if they have the credentials?
It’s very likely that they aren’t necessarily wrong, but just aren’t right for you. A study published in JMIR Formative Research found that many young people rely on platforms like TikTok for health information, including mental health. They see influencers as having all the answers, but they struggle to determine what information is true and what isn’t. Researchers also noted that there is “limited insight” into what effect this mental health-centered content has.
Mental health professionals are not cheap or convenient, and when someone has a lot of certifications after their name on TikTok, it’s understandable that someone might think they’re good enough. But smart people know they can’t trust random people they see online with something as serious as their mental health. Instead, they seek out professionals who can give them an opinion that is personalized to fit their situation.
TikTok is a great platform, both for entertainment and for information. There’s a lot you can learn from watching the vertical videos the app allows you to post. Some things are so important that they shouldn’t be treated lightly, though. There’s a big difference between getting a new recipe from TikTok and trusting it for a mental health diagnosis. Smart people would never consider this and know to turn to trusted professionals instead.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
