The IT Nerd

Creators are the heart and soul of TikTok. They make the app a welcoming place where millions of people come for entertainment, learning, and fun. TikTok offers anyone a chance to reach a global audience, and is taking that a step further today with the launch of the TikTok Creator Portal.

While becoming a creator is as simple as tapping a few buttons, thriving as a creator takes time, dedication, and some education. The TikTok Creator Portal is filled with educational resources for creators to learn the basics of getting started on TikTok, connecting with their audience, and cultivating best practices to bring their videos to the next level.

Launching today, the Creator Portal is broken down into the following six learning categories:

• Getting started on TikTok 
• TikTok creation essentials 
• TikTok foundations for success 
• TikTok content strategy 
• Community guidelines and safety 
• Getting paid to create 

These categories cover some of the most frequently asked questions and give key insights into what it takes to have fun and grow as a content creator on TikTok. The TikTok Creator Portal offers in depth guides and videos designed to further support Canada’s growing creator community, and help them get the most out of their time on TikTok.

Please note: The TikTok Creator Fund is currently available to creators in the U.S., UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.

Today, TikTok announced changes for users under age 18 aimed at driving higher standards of user privacy and safety by default. We want our younger users to be able to make informed choices about their privacy, and by engaging them early in their privacy journey, they hope to help them make more informed decisions.

Enhanced default privacy settings

Starting today, TikTok is changing the default privacy setting for all registered accounts ages 13-15 to private. With a private TikTok account, only someone who the user approves as a follower can view their videos. They want younger users to be able to make informed choices about what and with whom they choose to share, which includes whether they want to open their account to public views. By engaging them early in their privacy journey, TikTok can enable them to make more deliberate decisions about their online privacy. 

As young people start their digital journey, TikTok believes it’s important to provide them with age-appropriate privacy settings and controls to manage their online presence.

• Starting today, TikTok is changing the default privacy setting for all registered accounts ages 13-15 to private. With a private TikTok account, only someone who the user approves as a follower can view their videos.
• Tightening the options for commenting on videos created by those ages 13-15. These users can now choose between Friends or No One for their account; the Everyone comment setting is being removed.
• Changing Duet and Stitch settings to now make these features available on content created by users 16 and over only. For users ages 16-17, the default setting for Duet and Stitch will now be set to Friends.
• Allowing downloads of videos that have been created by users 16 and over only. Other users can decide whether they want to allow downloads of their videos, though for users ages 16-17 the default setting will now be changed to Off unless they decide to enable it.
• Setting “Suggest your account to others” to Off by default for users ages 13-15.

Adjusting TikTok’s default account settings to support stronger user privacy is a meaningful step in TikTok’s ongoing commitment to keeping younger users safe. These changes build on previous updates including restricting direct messaging and hosting live streams to accounts 16 and over, and enabling parents and caregivers to set guardrails on their teen’s TikTok experience through our Family Pairing features.

On what would have been his 74th birthday, TikTok today announced that the music of David Bowie is now available to the TikTok community. An account in Bowie’s memory has launched in partnership with Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and The David Bowie estate. 

Celebrating one of the greatest stars of the musical universe, David Bowie’s music catalogue is now available through yet another medium, ready to excite and inspire a whole new generation of fans. His TikTok channel is live at @DavidBowie featuring iconic videos from his life and work across over five decades of innovation and reinvention.

Tracks such as Heroes, Space Oddity, Let’s Dance, Fame, Rebel Rebel, Life on Mars?, and Ashes To Ashes now feature in a dedicated playlist on the TikTok Sounds page. On Sunday 10th January to mark his passing five years ago, TheStarman hashtag challenge (#TheStarman) will launch. Using the track Starman – first released in 1972 as the lead single from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars – the TikTok community will come together to celebrate his life and work, recreating his iconic looks across the years. 

A pioneer in music and fashion, David was – and remains – a cultural icon. He was never afraid to push boundaries and was always first to embrace new technology to reach his global fan base.

Just when you thought it was over. It isn’t. In the dying days of the Trump Administration, an appeal has been filed to take out a ruling that prohibited certain restrictions regarding TikTok:

The appeal challenges a Dec. 7 preliminary injunction from US District Court Judge Carl Nichols, which prevented the US Department of Commerce from enforcing rules that would have made it illegal for infrastructure companies to carry TikTok’s network traffic.

That ruling followed an earlier injunction that prevented the Commerce Department from banning downloads of TikTok from US app stores.

I really don’t see the point of this. These people are less than a month before they are footnotes in history. Why even bother with this? Are they only interested in getting a win? I don’t get it. This seems like a waste of time and taxpayer money to me.

Freed from the limitations of programmed radio or streaming playlists, a viral song on TikTok can come from any year, any genre, or any artist, fueled by a community eager to find and share new musical obsessions. 

Canadians were a major part of this year’s Year On TikTok – Music 2020 list, from established superstars like Drake, Justin Bieber and The Weeknd (and really what’s more meaningful a Grammy nomination or TikTok’s Top Artists?), to #TBT artists like Avril Lavigne and Nelly Furtado and new emerging artists that attribute their success to TikTok like Curtis Waters, 437Aiden and Tate McRae.

You can find the complete top TikTok – Music 2020 list here. And here’s an overview of what’s inside to help you discover and navigate the categories that will matter most to you: 

What’s Inside: 

1. Real Quick: The Fastest Songs To A Billion *Drake
2. Pick Your Sound: Top Genres
3. They’ve Got The Hits: Top Artist Catalog
4. The Come Up: Emerging Artists *Curtis Waters, 437Aiden and Tate McRae
5. Down The Rabbit Hole: Unexpected Hits and Niche Discoveries 
6. TikTok LIVE: 2020’s Essential Music Moments *The Weeknd
7. Celebrating Culture With Music
8. Iconic: Legendary Acts On TikTok
9. Remember These? Songs Revitalized On TikTok *Simple Plan, Nelly Furtado and Avril Lavigne

As the first vaccines get distributed in Canada, TikTok is fighting misinformation by adding commonly asked questions and answers about COVID-19 vaccines from public health experts to its in-app coronavirus resource hub. 

TikTok’s COVID-19 hub is accessible from the Discover page, search results, and banners on COVID-19 and vaccine-related videos and has been viewed over 2 billion times globally over the last six months.

In addition, TikTok is announcing refreshed Community Guidelines, along with resources and tools to support the well-being of the community. 

TikTok’s Community Guidelines play an essential role in their mission to inspire creativity and bring joy. They want everyone to feel comfortable and confident expressing themselves exactly as they are. This announcement highlights some of the policies that they have strengthened to better support the well-being of their community in areas like harassment, eating disorder content, and self-harm.

They are also announcing three new features to further support community well-being, including:

• Updated resources to support people who may be struggling which they developed with guidance from leading behavioral psychologists and suicide prevention experts. Now, if someone searches for terms like “selfharm” or “hatemyself” they’ll see evidence-based actions they can take along with access to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Crisis Textline for emergency support.
• Opt-in viewing screens on top of videos that some may find graphic or distressing. These types of videos are already ineligible for recommendation into anyone’s For You feed, and this feature aims to further reduce unexpected viewing of such content by offering viewers the choice to skip the video or watch it.
• Commonly asked questions and answers about COVID-19 vaccines from public health experts will be added to their in-app coronavirus resource hub. Their COVID-19 hub is accessible from their Discover page, search results, and banners on COVID-19 and vaccine-related videos and has been viewed over 2 billion times globally over the last six months.
• Text-to-voice: TikTok continually works to make TikTok more accessible for everyone. They recently announced new tools to support people with photosensitive epilepsy, and They are starting to roll out a text-to-voice feature that allows people to convert typed text to voice that plays over text as it appears in a video. 

Keeping the TikTok community safe is a commitment with no finish line, and they hope these updates help people have a positive and meaningful TikTok experience.

Yet another federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to ban new downloads of TikTok in the United States. TechCrunch has the details:

This is the second time a federal judge has issued an injunction against Trump administration restrictions that would have prevented U.S. companies, including internet hosting services, from transactions with TikTok and ByteDance. The first injunction was granted in October by U.S. District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone, in a separate lawsuit brought against the President Trump and the U.S. Commerce Department by three TikTok creators.

Perhaps the Trump Administration should take the hint and really just end their war on TikTok. Clearly it’s not legal and it’s getting embarrassing for Trump and company. Thus a discreet exit from this rather than constantly losing might be a better strategy.

A deadline set by the Trump Administration’s Treasury Department mandated a sale for TikTok by December 4th has passed. So what happens next? Reuters reports that based on anonymous sources TikTok and the US government will continue negotiations:

The Trump administration on Friday opted not to grant ByteDance a new extension of an order requiring the Chinese company to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets, but talks will continue over the short video-sharing app’s fate, two sources briefed on the matter said.

A Treasury Department representative said late on Friday the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) “is engaging with ByteDance to complete the divestment and other steps necessary to resolve the national security risks.”

To me it sounds like that Trump and company are trying to find some way to save face after making such a big deal about the threat that TikTok is. But seeing as nobody is really giving details on the record, who knows what’s really going on, and what happens next?

TikTok has always been about bringing people together to inspire each other and share moments of joy. It’s also a place to find your community, no matter your interests. 

Canadians used TikTok this year to highlight everything from the beauty of Canada, to Indigenous education, to emerging fashion and music stars, to random things that just makes sense like pancake cereal and a chihuahua who sings good morning. And TikTok is here for all of it!

Here’s Canada’s TikTok Top 50.

1) Vibe Check: TikTok videos Canadians loved in 2020

2020 saw an astounding number of videos go viral, entertaining millions and forever changing the lives of the creators who made them. As the year comes to a close, TikTok is celebrating the trends, creators, songs and cultural moments that have had everyone talking over the past 365 days.

• @davidbeck05 – Who know water balloons could be so satisfying
• @Megmartel – Four generations in one TikTok        
• @big.bidou – This cleaning hack broke the internet     
• @dobyandblue – Corgis: So short. So adorable.          
• @hermes_and_madi – Good morning from this chihuahua 

2) Breakout Stars: The rising Canadian stars of 2020

Creators are the heart of TikTok, making the platform unlike any other through their creativity, commitment, and constant drive to make content that inspires so many. TikTok has become a launch pad for many creators to build their livelihoods by creating content authentic to themselves and driven by their passions. 2020 has been a tumultuous year, but for some TikTok creators, it was their time to shine. 

• notoriouscree
• bomanizer
• bootlegmegz (language warning on sound)
• kallmekris
• basementgang_
• robynottolini
• iamtiagz
• curtiswaters
• 347aidan
• pow.fu

3) Learn Something: Most impactful Canadian creators 

2020 was full of major cultural shifts both on and off of TikTok and we are so proud of the work our community has done to raise each other up. This year, Canadian creators used TikTok as a platform to educate, spread awareness for social causes, advocate for marginalized and underrepresented communities and to celebrate the many cultures that make the TikTok community so special. We can all use a little joy in our lives, so check out how these creators are using their platform to be a force for good. You might learn something!

• @tiamiscihk – Indigenous education
• @kissyduerre – Need to know: transgender education   
• @daveanddheana – Self-defense moves          
• @marklharrison –   Earth is truly round           
• @nilered – Science rules! 
• @marcolivier_slam – Black or white? Aren’t we all human?

4) Great Outdoors: Showcasing Canada’s natural beauty

While many Canadians have spent the better part of 2020 at home, we can still travel our beautiful country from the comfort of our homes with TikTok. From majestic waterfalls on a sunny day to freshly falling snow on mountain tops, these Canadian creators are reminding us about the beauty of our home and native land.

• @greatgramsofgary 
• @Whatthechic  
• @__Aliahalat    
• @Jenlord39       

5) Health and Wellness: 

2020 had us all practicing a little more self-care than we may have expected. These TikTok content creators inspired us to think beyond bubbles baths to practice good habits, move our bodies and nurture our minds. 

• @evolveandbloom – Mental health awareness
• @Aliciamccarvell – Workout inspo (language warning on sound)
• @Ta.dil – Masking for a friend! 
• @Natalieallport – High performance habits 
• @Angiebarrr – Stay hydrated 

6) Home and DIY: Canadians getting creative at home and in the studio

From the kitchen to an artist’s studio, Canadians were forced to get creative from the comfort of their homes in 2020 and WOW, did they deliver. Whether breaking the internet with a new favourite breakfast or turning a blank canvas into a thumbstopping piece of art, these Canadian content creators inspired us to try something new. 

• @sydneymelhoff – Pancake cereal
• @everything_delish – Cookies & cream latter
• @callenschaub – Spin art! 
• @creating_anything – Homemade engagement ring 
• @annaquartzartist – Level up cheese boards 

7) Glow Up: Top style and beauty trends

The world is your runway and TikTok is your wardrobe designer! TikTok has quickly become a go-to resource for all our fashion and beauty needs. With countless beauty and makeup hacks, fashion gurus and those who are on their way to be, there’s no shortage of opportunities to learn how to glow up.

• @emmanuel.uddenberg (language warning on song sound)      
• @notoriouscree (language warning on song sound)      
• @ilysmnails (language warning on song sound)
• @albertbjr09            
• @lordthivi

8) The Playlist: Top songs

It’s been a strange and savage year for music, and the TikTok community came through in shaping the soundtrack to our lives. This 10 song playlist — featuring hits from established hitmakers, rising stars, and previously-unknown artists — is just a glimpse into some of 2020’s most defining hits that helped people from coast to coast find (or reconnect with!) their inner superstar as they danced their way through the year.

• “Savage Love” (Laxed – Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo
• “Savage” Remix – Megan Thee Stallion (language warning on song sound)
• “OUT WEST” (feat. Young Thug) – Travis Scott  
• “WAP” (feat. Megan Thee Stallion) – Cardi B (language warning on song sound)
• “Say So” – Doja Cat
• “Tap In” – Saweetie
• “The Box” – Roddy Ricch 
• “Rags2Riches” (feat. ATR Son Son) – Rod Wave
• “Supalonely” (feat. Gus Dapperton) – BENEE
• “What You Know Bout Love” – Pop Smoke 

Apparently, the Trump Administration hasn’t forgotten about TikTok because they’ve given ByteDance who owns TikTok another seven days to unload TikTok says Reuters:

The administration previously had granted ByteDance a 15-day extension of the order issued in August, which was set to expire Friday. President Donald Trump on Aug. 14 had directed ByteDance to divest the app within 90 days.

The new deadline is Dec. 4, TikTok said in the filing. Under pressure from the U.S. government, ByteDance has been in talks for months to finalize a deal with Walmart Inc and Oracle Corp to shift TikTok’s U.S. assets into a new entity.

This might have something to do with the fact that ByteDance reportedly has a “new proposal” that’s aimed at addressing U.S. government concerns. It will be interesting to see what that is. As well as it will be interesting to see if other concerns in “Trump World” have any effect on this.