It’s no surprise that phones have taken over the lives of many, especially teens, and this is due to attention grabbing social media apps such as Instagram, Tik Tok, and Snapchat. People ranging from around 10 years old all the way up to people in their 80s seem to love all of the trends and content that different people create, and some may also be inspired to create their own. 

Instagram has been a fan favorite for many before newer social media apps were created. Similar to Tik Tok, Instagram uses a discover page regarding posts of the people you follow as well as a posting option.  Junior Addie Ritchie prefers instagram over others. “My favorite feature is the “Story” feature,” she said. This feature that Instagram has created allows a 24 hour post on a profile page, and is used for many different types of posts. Ritchie spends more than 3 hours a day on the app, along with many others from GHS and many others in the world.

A newer feature to this app is the ability to shop and browse small businesses everywhere. This feature highlights trending clothes and different items, along with featuring items from creators you follow. “I like browsing different small businesses and I have actually bought an item from browsing,” senior Jadyn Galaska said. “It’s based on your common interests based on what you’ve browsed on the app, so it’s technically custom for you.” 

Another feature that is rather newer with the instagram app is the IGTV feature. It is a form of sharing long videos on instagram, and it has become a very popular attribute on the app. Senior Danijela Gallo posted an IGTV video to her account when the feature was first released. “I liked that I was able to post a longer video of all the memories I had created over that year, because Instagram had never really had an option like that before and it always strictly pictures,” she said.  

Although Instagram has been an all around favorite, the number of users on Tik Tok has continually been increasing since the app was first released. Whether it’s browsing the For You Page of recommended videos or creating your own 15 second-3 minute videos for others to see, it has ultimately started to become one of the most popular social media platforms ever. Many GHS students have Tik Tok and enjoy spending time on the app. Sophomore Ben Cairns said that he prefers this app over others. “I like being able to discover new content and stay up to date on trends and things in the world,” he said. 

Tik Tok trends regarding new dances, holidays, cooking, sports/fitness, and many other topics take over the For You Page’s of different users based on their interests. As people spend more time on the app, they discover different influencers. Senior Jill Swimmer spends a lot of her time browsing the app. “I’ll go on Tik Tok for what seems like 5 minutes and I’ll end up getting sucked in for an hour and a half,” she said. 

Other than browsing on the app, many students also enjoy creating content for others to see. Senior Keyona Miller makes Tik Tok videos every day. “I usually make dancing ones by myself or with friends, and I like to make them because it’s fun and a way for me to relax when I’m stressed,” she said.

Miller also follows Charli D’amelio on Tik Tok, a girl who has become the most famous on the app over the past few years. Also she is considered a Tik Tok influencer, there have been many controversial things that have created drama on the app. “I follow Charli because I like to mock some of the things she posts, some things are ridiculous for her age,” she said. 

Many others enjoy watching major influencers as they post different lifestyle and fashion videos. “I really enjoy watching Hannah Meloche’s videos as I love her lifestyle and how much she posts about it,” an anonymous GHS student said. Tik Tok allows an unlimited number of posts, creating the option for many popular people on the app to gain a large fan base and interest from other users. 

Overall, Tik Tok has been taking over the internet compared to any other app on the internet, and with the diverse features it allows, it will only become more popular.