Tiktok is at the end of a cycle: long live Facebook, Google and Instagram

In recent years, social media platforms have become an integral part of our daily lives. Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, part of an ecosystem that has helped the internet evolve into a successful model of global connection, have certainly had their moments of criticism, but today they are proving to be more responsible and managed than TikTok.

The latter, in fact, represents an increasingly evident social drift, especially in the West, where democratic values ​​and freedom of information are fundamental. But what are the differences between these digital giants? Why is TikTok seen as a greater threat?

Responsible Management of Meta and Google Platforms

Facebook (now Meta), Instagram, and YouTube have faced heavy criticism in the past, especially regarding their handling of personal data and content moderation. However, despite their shortcomings, these platforms have worked to improve their management systems, implementing tools to protect user privacy, and adopting more transparent policies to combat misinformation and hate online.

It’s easy to forget that when Facebook was at the center of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the company didn’t intentionally facilitate a data breach. Rather, it was a flaw in its information management system, which Meta has addressed with major improvements over the years.

The same can be said for YouTube, which has implemented algorithms to demonetize and limit the spread of inappropriate content, working towards a safer and more responsible environment.

TikTok: A Drifting Platform

TikTok, on the other hand, seems to be built on very different principles. TikTok’s biggest problem is its algorithmic structure, which tends to reward controversial, sensational, and often harmful content, amplifying borderline behavior. In Western countries, where freedom of expression and democracy are central values, TikTok has proven particularly problematic.

The Chinese social network, in fact, is often accused of promoting dangerous social models, especially for the youngest. Viral challenges that put users' lives at risk, the glorification of crime, and the spread of disinformation are just a few examples of how TikTok has embraced a dangerous logic, where the important thing is to make numbers, not to protect its users.

In China, content control and censorship are tighter, but in the West, TikTok appears to be an out-of-control platform, more interested in capitalizing on viral interaction than fostering a healthy digital environment.

The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that TikTok belongs to a cultural context – the Chinese one – in which the rights of information and democracy are often limited. This is reflected in the management of content, which is criticized for not respecting democratic principles and transparency.

Meta's Not to Blame: The Mistake of Focusing on the Wrong Suspects

In the past, Meta has often been accused of being the main culprit of all the ills of social networks. However, the reality is more complex. The platform itself has faced enormous challenges in ensuring a safe and inclusive environment, but it has always operated in an environment where Western laws and regulations have required greater transparency and accountability.

Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube aren’t perfect, but there’s no denying that they’ve taken significant steps to improve their privacy practices, combat misinformation, and reduce the spread of harmful content.

In contrast, TikTok has proven far more reluctant to take responsibility for its negative impacts. Despite concerns expressed by governments and users, the platform continues to be a breeding ground for harmful content, without an adequate system in place to effectively filter and moderate what is posted.

TikTok's Social Drift: A Dangerous Model

TikTok’s algorithm is designed to maximize time spent on the platform, regardless of the content it serves. This means that content that pushes social and moral boundaries is often favored over informational or educational content. In contrast, platforms like Facebook and YouTube try (albeit with limitations) to balance entertainment with responsible and community-friendly content.

TikTok is the symbol of a social drift that amplifies the worst tendencies of humanity, promoting behavior patterns that can be extremely harmful, especially for young people. In Western countries, where sensitivity towards the protection of minors and the promotion of democratic values ​​is central, this platform represents a difficult challenge to manage.

Facebook, Instagram and Google are superior to Tik Tok

In light of all this, it is clear that platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, despite their flaws, have proven capable of evolving towards a more responsible management of content and user data. On the contrary, TikTok seems to be set up on a model that favors misinformation, the spectacularization of crime and the spread of dangerous behavior.

As we continue to criticize Meta for its shortcomings, it is important to recognize that the real threat to social and digital well-being today may not be in the hands of a Western platform, but in those of a Chinese giant that seems unaware of the consequences of its success.