| Review | Open Access |
|---|
Digital disruption can be referred to as the change which occurs whenever a new technology is developed and impacts the value proportion and TikTok is one of them. Therefore, the current research aimed to explore the impact of TikTok platform on the attitudes and behavior of youth in Lahore. Hearn (2020) identified that digitally disrupted technologies are more attractive to gain user base. This is because, the concept they provide is different and unique among others impacting the user behavior and attitudes. The related theory, that is, ‘User Gratification Theory’ was adopted in the current study to determine how people actively seek media in order to satisfy their needs. The research objective and theoretical framework included determining the impact of TikTok features on the attitudes and behavior of youth. Furthermore, the research measured this impact using quantitative research and data collected through questionnaires. These questionnaires were distributed among 308 participants from three reputed universities of Lahore. The data was analyzed using statistical tests, that is, regression tests. The results from statistical tests showed that Tiktok had a significant impact on the attitudes and behavior of youth in Lahore. Approximately, 75.5% of the total variation in the behavior of youth was explained by the model. The findings from the statistical tests showed that digital disruption had a significant impact on the behavior of youth. The research concluded that TikTok can be used as an effective marketing tool since it has a significant impact on the attitudes and behavior of youth.
The term ‘digital disruption’ can be used to explain the effects of digital technologies on traditional business models, that is, the technological evolution that breaks and surpasses the existing technologies (Lobstein et al., 2017). This made it necessary to reformulate the way of doing businesses so that companies could continue to have space in the market and be competitive (Karimi & Walter, 2015). The process of this transformation affects the business environment and society as a whole. It is a phenomenon that causes significant changes in the use of technologies and in the way, companies sell and interact with their customers (Skog et al., 2018). Information Technology (IT) is now present in all activities and is no longer just a specific service. The convergence of cloud computing, mobility, social platforms and big data has enabled the transformation of business practices and processes, requiring the creation of new technology management models (Knickrehm et al., 2016). The digital disruption revolutionizes the behavior of youth though applications, such as TikTok. By accelerating the total digitization process, the company goes far beyond to automate the existing activities, all of its processes are reinvented, as well as steps and documentation are reduced which facilitates decision-making (Vives, 2019).
With more accessible social media and communication technologies, many knowledge-related activities, such as learning and sharing, are taking place in online communities. Moreover, new forms of collaborative platforms are also being introduced (Dron & Anderson, 2016). Research showed that to some extent, social media could facilitate knowledge sharing by providing social interactions, platforms for experience sharing, relationships construction and networking opportunities, as well as more observation opportunities and mutual swift trust (Manca & Ranieri, 2016). Multiple justifications have been offered to explain how social media succeed in promoting knowledge-related activities. One of the justifications is interpersonal interaction. Close interaction is necessary for knowledge transfer amongst individuals (Zhang, 2019). Interpersonal interactions are necessary for efficient distribution of knowledge in a particular online community or even among different online communities (Keane & Yu, 2019).
A short video platform is used to produce and browse short videos (Zhou, 2019). It has multiple social media features and all the videos on the platform are limited to a short duration, which ranges from a few seconds to a few minutes. This platform emphasizes to build a content generating and sharing community. One of the most representative short video platforms is TikTok. TikTok has emerged to be the most popular social media platform among millennials in China (Herrman, 2019). This entertainment-oriented platform succeeds in the immersive user experience and stimulation mechanisms. Knowledge sharing is becoming an important part of all the content and experience that the platform provides. In the essence of community, this platform’s immersive user experience and stimulation mechanism have opened opportunities for a new collaborative, engaging, and effective learning experience for users.
Statement of the ProblemThe current research focused to determine the effects of TikTok on the attitudes and behavior of youth in Lahore. Tiktok is now regarded as the disrupted technology which has gained the highest user base in a short time period due to its unique features. Moreover, it has also considerably impacted the attitudes and behavior of youth in terms of its increased usage. Features, such as slow-motion videos (Slow-mos), video editing, background music, streaming, soundtracks, and duet options make it a unique application as compared to others (Hearn, 2020). Youth is using these features to make a variety of content as per their likeliness, famous, market acceptability, and gratification.
SignificanceThe current research is significant because it unleashed the potential of TikTok which has become quite famous within a short period of time. For marketers, this research could serve as a baseline to develop their footprints on a higher user base platform, that is, TikTok. Furthermore, this research explained the integral features of TikTok which made it famous among teenagers/youngsters. Therefore, the current study could help policymakers of a firm to devise a specialized campaign for youth. Additionally, this research may play a foundation role in several fields, such as social media marketing, brand building, and in ad advertisements. One of the major uses of this platform is related to influencer marketing. Similarly, the study explained how marketers could promote their businesses by launching a hashtag challenge.
Research ObjectivesThe current study aimed to address the following objectives:
The current study aimed to answer the following research questions:
RQ1: How digital disruption is impacting the social media wave in Lahore?
RQ2: How Tiktok features are creating an impact on the attitudes of Youth in Lahore?
RQ3: How Tiktok features are creating an impact on the behavior of youth in Lahore?
HypothesesH1: Digital disruption has a significant impact on the behavior of youth in Lahore.
H2: There is a significant impact of TikTok features on the attitudes of youth in Lahore.
H3: There is a significant impact of TikTok features on the behavior of youth in Lahore.
Many studies have indicated how social media technology is transforming daily lives of people all around the world (see e.g., Cagatin, 2024; Rafique et al., 2022; Ruzimatjon, 2024). These studies include reflections from Good and Mishna (2019). Their study highlighted that 30% of the businesses identified that social media technologies, such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook are more economical and viable in terms of marketing their brand and achievement of time to market ratio. This changed the market practice and more people are using these platforms nowadays to develop their brand footprints. Another study conducted by Patrick (2022) explored that social media has impacted youth because on average a youngster spends 02 hours on social media to search new friends, make new videos, and increase their fan following by developing and marketing their content. Similarly, a study conducted by Boulianne and Theocharis (2020) concluded that firms are using the fan following of TikTok and other stars to market their products and services. They identified that social media technology is a platform which encompasses various functionalities and features that are important, financially viable, user centric, and productive. A recent study identified the change in behavior due to these social media platforms, that is, the time spent on these platforms has increased. People like, share, and comment on TikTok videos which not only increases the fan base, however, also changes the behavior. These studies provided a detailed understanding of how digitalization has influenced the behavior.
With new solutions and digitalization of processes, products and services are now more automated and bring convenience to consumers. It is possible to order a taxi, food, as well as shop and pay using a cell phone with a relevant application without even requiring Debit cards (Kontopodis et al., 2017). In the present era, social media is recognized as a key solution for organizations to expand their brands in the market and get more closer to customers which improves the company's reputation and image. Furthermore, social media has become a necessity for those businesses or organizations intending to increase their productivity, accelerate sales, encourage consumption, and have new ways to sell products and services (Watkins & Cho, 2018).
Short Videos for Sharing Creative SkillsAccording to Boulianne and Theocharis (2020), different social media applications have their own unique features to attract more user base towards them. Studies have indicated that, depending on the types of applications, certain forms of media would be shared and exchanged on social media platforms. YouTube is for video sharing, Instagram is for picture and video sharing, and Twitter is mainly used for text message sharing (Middaugh et al., 2017). Furthermore, new platforms are being developed where users can exchange new kinds of media. Short video has become a popular communication medium which is shared on short video platform. Video as a media carrier of information has been broadly used in knowledge sharing from social media to Massive Online Open Class (MOOC) platforms. Currently, there are two types of video forms that facilitate different ways of knowledge sharing. Lecture videos usually present conceptual (declarative) knowledge, whereas tutorials present how-to (procedural) knowledge (Guo et al., 2014). Multiple researches have shown that viewers prefer to watch knowledge sharing videos with short duration. Guo et al. (2014) found that viewers are more engaged with videos ranging from 0 to 3 minutes on MOOC platform. Study shows that for the lecture video which introduces discrete mathematics, videos lasting less than 5 minutes provide better knowledge obtaining experiences by improving students’ learning attitudes, learning effectiveness, and learning engagement. Research shows that learning with shorter videos significantly encourages task-relevant activities and reduces task-irrelevant activities of students (Szpunar et al., 2013). The study also revealed that when people obtain knowledge through short videos, they prefer watching skills and experience-sharing knowledge rather than conceptual knowledge.
Popular Short Video-Integrated PlatformsAccording to Burgess and Green (2018) short video platforms have emerged to be the most popular social media among millennials in China (Patrick, 2022). Most of the short video platforms are mobile applications where users can create, edit, share, and view short videos. These videos have a standardized short duration ranging from few seconds to few minutes. Research shows that the relative convenience of content generation, rapid content transmission, and emphasis on sociality are the distinct attributes of a short video platform (Zhou, 2019).
TikTokAndreasen and Kanstrup (2019) conducted research to determine how youth is being influenced by TikTok. Study showed that collaboration is crucial to increase user engagement in knowledge sharing. Users are more willing to share their opinions and knowledge on a collaborative video platform than on a traditional forum platform (Hayes et al., 2020). These studies investigated how video sharing on MOOC platform would better facilitate sharing and obtaining of knowledge. Study indicated that there has been positive and negative impact of short videos on youth behavior. However, there is no discussion that explains how user knowledge sharing behaviors are supported on short video platforms with short videos, system services, and interaction design (Wang, 2020). These TikTok videos have motion effects in them. These features allow slowing down and speeding up a video according to the user choice, need, and background music. All these features are used to make the video compatible with the background music, content, and message.
Wu et al. (2022) conducted research to examine the impact of TikTok on the behavior of youth. The findings showed that the spread of a video on TikTok ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes has become a popular form of learning and sharing creative skills, such as cooking, drawing, and crafting. Short videos on social media platforms are reshaping the experience of learning creative skills with visually engaging materials and communication features. This helps socialize with other users who have similar interests thus, highly influencing the behavior of youth.
Zhou (2019) carried out research to determine the impact of TikTok videos on user behavior. The research was conducted using a quantitative research method with a sample of more than 100 users. The findings suggested that these videos had a significant impact on the behavior of youth. Furthermore, the study also highlighted that TikTok has become a famous social media platform among all. This is because it has editing features and specific filters available according to the user voice setting and background music.
Qiyang and Jung (2019) conducted research to determine the impact of TikTok videos and their increasing usage among youth. The findings from interviews and questionnaires suggested that the increase in TikTok usage is due to its extended features and free uploading of videos in less time. One of the major reasons of using TikTok videos is that its uploading is free and user centric (Omar & Dequan, 2020).
Hern (2019) stated that TikTok videos have turned normal people into celebrities. These celebrities have gained fame on these channels, that is, Instagram and TikTok. Celebrity endorsement has become an important determinant of product success and their marketing these days using TikTok influences behavior of youth.
Impact of TikTok on YouthLi et al. (2019) carried out research to examine ease of content creation and consumer reach on TikTok as a channel. Considering the scope of this study, a quantitative approach was adopted. The findings reveal that the increased consumer reach on this channel is largely due to the ease of content creation it offers. The study also indicated that TikTok has been downloaded more than a billion times since its launch. Moreover, it has more monthly users than Twitter or Snapchat (Zhou, 2019). Additionally, it has positive as well as negative impact on the behavior of youth. Some incidents connected with TikTok being highlighted as negative include a ban by Indian government, citing concerns that minors are uploading some sexual and pornographic content which is badly impacting the society, its norms, and culture (Kumar & Prabha, 2019). On the other hand, it has also been reported that the usage of TikTok is creating a negative impact on behavior as minors are seen uploading videos with gun fires and showcasing other weapons (Zhang et al., 2019). Uploading such content generates excitement among others, and research shows that it has also become a source of inspiration for many (Davis, 2019). Study shows that TikTok did not have specific policies regarding uploading the content thus, it has a more negative impact as compared to positive one (Sun et al., 2019). Another study reported that governments and related institutions have now started monitoring such content to ensure public safety and maintain cultural norms (Qiyang & Jung, 2019).
Sun et al. (2019) carried out research to determine the increased load and subscription on TikTok. The research identified that it is the characteristic of the platform which increases its subscription. The research undermines a survey from different TikTokers who suggest that, they like to post their videos on TikTok because, this platform gives them an option for complete editing of the video along with applying different filters.
Watkins and Cho (2018) carried out research to examine the on-going disruption in the digital industry. Different studies in this regard highlighted that higher disruption was reported in digital communication and IT-related industry. Research indicated that disruption in communication industry has changed the way business practices were carried out.
Furthermore, Manca and Ranieri (2016) carried out research to examine the impact of digital disruption and how it is fulfilling the needs of consumers. They extended their core business, connected endpoints - company and consumer -, and created new capabilities with the use of technology. Moreover, they started from what the customer needed and presented an efficient solution with lower cost and greater speed. In other words, digital disruption is the ability of a company to break down barriers by using technology to create innovative solutions in order to solve customer problems on a global scale. As key characteristics of disruptive solutions, it can be mentioned that they are effective, instant, and without friction, making the consumer's journey fluid and pleasant.
Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT)Few researches have aimed to study the influence of social media by adopting different theories, such as Motivation Theory, Expectation-confirmation Theory, Social Capital Theory, and so on. Recently, most integral studies have incorporated uses and gratification theory (UGT) to measure the influence on social media (Al-Jabri et al., 2015; Hsiao et al., 2015). Earlier studies revealed that different gratifications, such as social gratifications, content gratifications, and hedonic gratifications, are the driving forces to predict the behavioral intentions of users.
The framework below defines how TikTok can influence the behavior of youth. Previous studies identified that social media has not only influenced daily lifestyle, but it has also altered some practices. Furthermore, studies mentioned that this change is due to the features which applications, such as TikTok and Facebook offer. TikTok is changing the behavior of youth due to certain features, such as motion effect and background music.
Few studies have been conducted that determined the impact of TikTok on the behavior of youth therefore; the approach of this study was explanatory. The current study aimed to connect ideas related to digital disruption and measured its impact on youth. For this research, the respondents were provided with an online questionnaire on Google Docs. Lahore city was selected as the setting of the study. Three universities of Lahore namely Punjab University, Beacon House University, and Lahore Garrison University were selected for data collection. Simple random sampling was applied as the sampling technique and the sample size comprised 308 respondents. All the selected respondents were aware of the technology tools and were using these tools.
Research Model
Y = a + b (x)
YB = C (1) EUC + C (2) ACC + C (3) FUP + C (4) HR + C (5) IF
YB = Youth Behavior
EUC = Ease of Uploading Content
ACC = Accessibility
FUP =Free Uploading
HR = Highest Reach
IF = Innovative Features
Figure 1 Research Model
In order to measure the internal consistency of the research variables, Cronbach alpha test was used. This test was conducted on all research variables and the results are as follows:
Table 1. Cronbach Alpha Test
|
Cronbach's Alpha |
No. of Items |
|---|---|
|
.980 |
20 |
The current research aimed to examine how technology tools are impacting the behavior of youth. According to Norman (2012), the youth, that is, the current generation is more technology savvy and therefore, prefers convenience. Thus, this study attempted to gauge this impact using statistical tests. In order to examine this impact, Cronbach alpha test was employed to determine the reliability and validity of the data. Afterwards, descriptive test was applied to provide a meaningful form to the data. After measuring the internal consistency, regression test was used for two main purposes, that is, to determine the impact of independent variables on the behavior of youth and secondly, to identify the specific level impact of independent variables. In this regard, the demographic results are as follows:
Table 2. Distribution of Respondents about Gender
|
Gender |
Frequency |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
Male |
216 |
70 |
|
Female |
92 |
30 |
Table above shows that the total number of respondents who participated in this survey was 308 of which male members were 216, that is, 70% and female members were 92, that is, 30%.
Table 3. Distribution of Respondents Regarding Age
|
Age |
Frequency |
% |
|---|---|---|
|
15 – 20 |
6 |
2 |
|
20 – 30 |
246 |
79 |
|
30 – 40 |
48 |
16 |
|
40 – 50 |
8 |
3 |
Table above shows that 2% respondent’s age was between 15-20 years, 79% were between 20-30 years, 16% were between 30-40 years, while 3% respondent’s age ranged between 40-50 years.
RQ1. How digital disruption is impacting the social media wave in Lahore?
Table 4. Frequency Regarding the Digital Disruption Impacting the Social Media Wave
|
Digital Disruption and Social Media Wave |
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I am using TikTok as it gives me ease of uploading my content |
33 (11%) |
27 (9%) |
4 (1%) |
95 (31%) |
148 (48%) |
|
I am using TikTok as it gives me option to upload different formats of files |
36 (12%) |
36 (12%) |
4 (1%) |
98 (32%) |
133 (43%) |
|
I am using TikTok as it provides me complete tutorial for uploading content |
12 (4%) |
21 (7%) |
4 (1%) |
119 (39%) |
151 (49%) |
|
I feel less hassle in uploading content on TikTok as compared to others |
35 (11%) |
30 (10%) |
0 |
102 (33%) |
140 (46%) |
Table 4 shows that 148 respondents (48%) strongly agreed, 95 (31%) respondents agreed, 33 (11%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 27 disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that Tiktok provides ease in uploading content which makes it easier for youth to use this application.
A total of 133 (43%) respondents showed strong agreement, 98 (32%) respondents were agreed, 36 (12%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 36 (12%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that Tiktok provides ease to upload different file formats, enhances its usage, and allows users to use different mediums.
A total of 151 (49%) respondents showed strong agreement, 119 (39%) respondents agreed, 12 (4%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 21 (7%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that TikTok provides complete tutorial for uploading content.
A total of 140 (46%) respondents showed strong agreement, 102 (33%) respondents agreed, 35 (11%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 30 disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that they feel less hassle in uploading content on TikTok as compared to other applications.
RQ2. How Tiktok features are creating an impact on attitudes of youth in Lahore?
Table 5. Frequency Regarding the Features of Tiktok Creating Impact on Attitudes of Youth
|
|
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I am using TikTok application because it has a higher compatibility with other touch points |
33 (11%) |
26 (8%) |
22 (7%) |
140 (46%) |
86 (28%) |
|
I am using TikTok as it is a free platform and allows uploading videos |
20 (7%) |
38 (12%) |
10 (3%) |
163 (53%) |
76 (25%) |
|
I am using TikTok as it allows me to upload multiple videos on the same platform at a time |
29 (9%) |
34 (11%) |
13 (4%) |
176 (57%) |
55 (18%) |
Table 5 represents the analysis of the question related to the ease of uploading option. According to the above graph, 86 (28%) respondents showed strong agreement, 140 (46%) respondents agreed, 22 (7%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 26 (8%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that they use TikTok because it is easily accessible on all channels.
A total of 76 (25%) respondents showed strong agreement, 163 (53%) respondents were agreed, 20 (7%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 38 (12%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that Tiktok is accessible and they use it because they can easily upload content at any time.
A total of 176 (57%) respondents showed strong agreement, 176 (57%) respondents were agreed, 29 (9%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 34 (11%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that Tiktok has strong compatibility and they use it because it has higher compatibility along with other touch points.
RQ3. How TikTok features are creating an impact on the behavior of youth in Lahore?
Table 6. Frequency Regarding TikTok Features Creating Impact on the Behavior of Youth
|
|
Strongly Disagree |
Disagree |
Neutral |
Agree |
Strongly Agree |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
I can alter the video according to my own wish |
26 (8%) |
55 (18%) |
18 (6%) |
147 (48%) |
61 (19%) |
|
I can set background music according to the content |
21 (7%) |
51 (16%) |
6 (3%) |
166 (54%) |
65 (21%) |
|
I can edit and add filters in the video |
29 (9%) |
53 (18%) |
3 (2%) |
146 (48%) |
77 (25%) |
Table above represents the analysis of the question, “I am using TikTok as it is a free platform and allows to upload videos. According to the above graph, 61 (19%) respondents showed strong agreement, 147 (48%) respondents were agreed, 26 (8%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 55 (18%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that Tiktok has strong compatibility as it is a free platform.
A total of 65 (21%) respondents showed strong agreement, 166 (54%) respondents were agreed, 21 (7%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 51 (16%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that TikTok allows uploading multiple videos on the same platform at a time.
According to one of the respondents, “I feel good as more uploads lead me to more subscribers”. According to the above graph, 77 (25%) respondents showed strong agreement, 146 (48%) respondents were agreed, 29 (9%) respondents strongly disagreed, while 53 (18%) respondents disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that using TikTok feels good as more uploads lead them to have more subscribers.
Total of 110 respondents (33.3%) showed strong agreement, 142 respondents (43.0%) agreed, 31 respondents (9.4%) strongly disagreed, and 24 respondents (7.3%) disagreed. This suggested that most of the users were of the view that the highest reach of TikTok allows them to have more subscribers.
Analysis of HypothesisFor the statistical analysis of the data to obtain results, the researcher applied linear regression test.
H1: Digital Disruption has a significant impact on behavior of youth.
Table 7. Model Summary Table
|
R |
R2 |
Adjusted R2 |
Std. Error |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
.755a |
.570 |
.563 |
Table 7 identifies that 57% of the total variation in the dependent variable is explained by the model. Table shows a higher regression value, that is, 75.5% which proves that variables are closely related.
Table 8. ANOVA Table
|
Model |
Sum of Squares |
df |
Mean Square |
F |
Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regression |
290.270 |
5 |
58.054 |
80.093 |
.000 |
|
Residual |
218.899 |
302 |
.725 |
|
|
|
Total |
509.169 |
307 |
|
|
|
Table 8 shows that at 95% confidence interval, the research provided clear evidence that the research mode p = 0.00 is significant. The Sig. p values lie under the acceptability region, that is, lower than 0.05 which shows that the model is significant for the study.
Table 9. Coefficients Table
|
Model |
Unstandardized Coefficients |
Standardized Coefficients |
t |
Sig. |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
B |
Std. Error |
β |
|||
|
(Constant) |
.387 |
.147 |
|
2.638 |
.009 |
|
Ease of Uploading |
.247 |
.068 |
.258 |
3.642 |
.000 |
Table 9 suggests that all the research variables (ease of uploading) are significant as their Sig. p value is lower than 0.05, suggesting that digital disruption has a significant impact on the behavior of youth.
H2: There is a significant impact of TikTok features on the attitudes of youth.
Table 10. Model Summary Table
|
R |
R2 |
Adjusted R2 |
Std. Error |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
.755a |
.570 |
.563 |
Table 10 identifies that 57% of the total variation in the dependent variable is explained by the model. The table illustrates a higher regression value, that is, 75.5% which shows that variables are closely-related.
Table 11. ANOVA Table
|
Model |
Sum of Squares |
df |
Mean Square |
F |
Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regression |
290.270 |
5 |
58.054 |
80.093 |
.000 |
|
Residual |
218.899 |
302 |
.725 |
||
|
Total |
509.169 |
307 |
|
Table 11 illustrates that at 95% confidence interval, the research provided clear evidence that the research mode p = 0.00 is significant. The Sig. p values lie under the acceptability region, that is, lower than 0.05 which shows that the model is significant for the study.
Table 12. Coefficients Table
|
Model |
Unstandardized Coefficients |
Standardized Coefficients |
t |
Sig. |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
B |
Std. Error |
β |
|||
|
(Constant) |
.387 |
.147 |
|
2.638 |
.009 |
|
Accessibility |
.247 |
.068 |
.258 |
3.642 |
.000 |
Table 12 suggests that all the research variables (accessibility) are significant as their Sig. p value is lower than 0.05, suggesting that digital disruption has a significant impact on the attitudes of youth.
H3: There is a significant impact of TikTok features on the behavior of youth.
Table 13. Model Summary Table
|
R |
R2 |
Adjusted R2 |
Std. Error |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
.755a |
.570 |
.563 |
Table 13 identifies that 57% of the total variation in the dependent variable is explained by the model. The table illustrates a higher regression value, that is, 75.5% which shows that variables are closely-related.
Table 14. ANOVA Table
|
Model |
Sum of Squares |
df |
Mean Square |
F |
Sig. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Regression |
290.270 |
5 |
58.054 |
80.093 |
.000 |
|
Residual |
218.899 |
302 |
.725 |
||
|
Total |
509.169 |
307 |
|
Table 14 illustrates that at 95% confidence interval, the research provided clear evidence that the research mode p = 0.00 is significant. The Sig. p values lie under the acceptability region, that is, lower than 0.05 which shows that the model is significant for the study.
Table 15. Coefficients Table
|
Model |
Unstandardized Coefficients |
Standardized Coefficients |
t |
Sig. |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
B |
Std. Error |
β |
|||
|
(Constant) |
.387 |
.147 |
|
2.638 |
.009 |
|
Innovative Features |
.154 |
.065 |
.151 |
2.388 |
.018 |
Table 15 suggests that all the research variables (innovative features) are significant as their Sig. p value is lower than 0.05, suggesting that digital disruption has a significant impact on the behavior of youth.
The current study aimed to explore how digital disruption, through platforms like TikTok, influences the attitudes and behaviors of youth. To assess this impact, a quantitative survey comprising 20 questions across five variables—ease of uploading, accessibility, free uploading, highest reach, and innovative features—was conducted.
Findings indicate that digital applications have created a new ecosystem that shapes user attitudes and behaviors. As TikTok's user base and average screen time have increased, daily practices have shifted significantly. The platform's features have triggered higher engagement, leading users to spend more time on it, influencing their routines.
Psychological theories suggest that attitude influences observable behavior, and this study applied that concept to understand TikTok's effect on youth. Zhou (2019) carried out research to examine the impact of TikTok on youth behavior. The findings from the study suggest that there is a significant impact of TikTok videos on youth behavior and this leads to influencing their daily routine. Current study identified that students from Lahore universities, spending over two hours daily on social media, were regularly exposed to TikTok content and brand advertisements, impacting their purchasing attitudes and behaviors.
Moreover, digital disruption has transformed broader practices, such as online marketing, e-commerce, and financial services, offering users greater convenience and efficiency. Despite concerns about unemployment due to automation, these innovations have improved service quality and operational dynamics across industries. Boulianne and Theocharis (2020) provides their conclusion that firms are using the fan following of TikTok and other stars to market their product and services. TikTok has been a platform that is changing the behavior but, very less research has been carried out on it. Considering this aspect, this study is being carried out to explore its impact.
Uses and Gratification theory has been applied in this research. The findings from research shows strong agreement with uses and gratification theory that, the users feel content uploading is easy on TikTok therefore, the data size and new content is increasing day by day.
The findings indicate that all of the respondents are internet users, and 65% of them are using TikTok. One important fact revealed from the responses is that 85% of the respondents endorsed that these applications have significantly impacted their attitude and behavior, which reflects in their daily routine.
The uploading and usage of TikTok are increasing among Youth because of various factors. 79% of respondents endorsed ease of uploading as an important factor, while 71% indicate that the process of uploading is faster, and the ability to upload different file formats is the reason for its increase usage.
In the survey, it has also been identified that TikTok is providing significant financial benefits to its users. 56% of the respondents believe they have financial benefits, while 68% indicate that TikTok is the only platform that can make them famous overnight. The application has some embedded factors that make it different from the others, motivating its users to use it, including a slow-motion effect and video editing. Approximately all of the users of TikTok strongly recommend it because this functionality is not available in other applications; that is, 91% of the respondents agree with the above fact. In the end, one interesting fact is that 82% of the respondents strongly believe that they are using TikTok to increase their user base, which ultimately results in them earning more. Another interesting fact is that 73% of the respondents believe that TikTok has enhanced its local presence and made it an international celebrity, and its content is watched internationally.
Three research hypotheses were tested, confirming a significant impact of digital disruption on youth attitudes and behaviors. The results from the Regression test show a positive and significant impact of TikTok features on youth attitude and behavior, proving the hypotheses as significant.
The TikTok application as a digital disruptor has influenced every aspect of our lives, especially the youth who are its major user base. It is a platform which enables its users to make their content viewable locally as well as internationally. This application and its usage are majorly dependent on its unique features, which aren’t available in any other social media app; therefore, it is termed a digital disruptor. According to the findings of this study, the behavior and attitude of youth are influenced, and noticeable changes can be witnessed because of their increased usage among them (Zhou, 2019). These applications are working on developing their footprints among youth through technological innovations, thus impacting the behavior and attitude of their users.
The authors of the manuscript have no financial or non-financial conflict of interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
The data associated with this study will be provided by the corresponding author upon request.
No funding has been received for this research.
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