How TikTok Changed America

1. Set Focus
Pose this essential question to guide discussion: How can technology change societies?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• discourse (p. 13)
• ecosystem (p. 13)
• revenue (p. 14)
• compensation (p. 15)
• credentialed (p. 16)
• compelling (p. 17)

3. Engage
Ask students to share what they’re interested in on TikTok. Ask: Has TikTok helped you? What do you like most about it? Does anything about it bother you? Revisit this discussion after the lesson, having students share any new insights they’ve gained.

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions..

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: How TikTok Changed America, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the following page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• What is the main purpose of this article? According to the introduction, why is the article relevant at this moment in time? (Author’s purpose, Analyze context) (The main purpose is to explain how pervasive TikTok has become in American culture and to discuss the positives and negatives of its growing presence. According to the introduction, this issue is important because some government officials are attempting to ban TikTok. They believe the Chinese government can use it as a tool against American citizens.)

• Summarize the main ideas of the article. According to each section, how has TikTok changed America, both positively and negatively? (Summarize)(Students should summarize the most important ideas of each section, including the positives and negatives of using TikTok. For example, TikTok is where teens and young adults get most of their news, which helps them stay informed, but TikTok’s algorithm also panders to the user’s world view and its format can lead to oversimplification and inaccuracy.)

• What types of evidence does the author use to support the central idea that TikTok is “the new mall”? What evidence does the author use to support the idea that TikTok is a “music powerhouse”? (Central ideas, Cite text evidence)(The author supports the idea that TikTok is “the new mall” by describing how creators earn money by advertising goods, how users shop through the platform, and how business owners incorporate TikTok into their product development. The author supports the idea that TikTok is a “music powerhouse” by discussing how artists try to go viral on the platform, even though they feel undercompensated.)

• What is the problem introduced in the section “It Turned the School Bathroom Into a Movie Set”? How are schools attempting to solve this problem? (Problem & solution) (The problem is that some kids and teens are excusing themselves from class to use their school bathrooms multiple times a day to create content, including acts of bullying and vandalism. Schools have responded by removing the bathroom mirrors and implementing digital hall passes. Some schools have also filed lawsuits against TikTok.) 

• What is the main idea of the section “It’s the Latest Political Tool”? How does this section relate to, and complicate, the ideas presented in the article’s introduction? (Integrate ideas, text structure) (The main idea of “Political Tool” is that politicians are using TikTok to attract and influence voters. This section relates to the introduction of the article because it also briefly mentions that lawmakers are trying to ban the platform. This section highlights the fact that the same people who are trying to ban TikTok also use it to attract voters, which complicates the idea that politicians are serious about banning it.) 

• What are the different perspectives on using TikTok as a mental health resource? Which perspective do you find most persuasive? (Compare & contrast, Evaluate arguments) (Some users believe TikTok is beneficial for mental health because it allows people to openly discuss their experiences and find resources. Others criticize the platform because it can lead to misinformation, false self-diagnoses, and scams. Students’ opinions may vary, but they should support their opinions with ideas from the text.)

6. Writing Prompt
Is TikTok harmful or helpful for teens? Write a brief opinion essay to explain. Support your position with details from the article.

7. Video
Watch the video about influencers. What does it add to your understanding of the article?

8. Classroom Debate
Should the government ban TikTok?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and the Analyze the Graphs and Analyze the Cartoon skill sheets to practice data and visual analysis.