TikTok
TikTok Has Created a West Elm Caleb Cinematic Universe
The imaginative play that makes the platform so much fun also helps explain the controversy around the internet's new main character.
The Creepy TikTok Algorithm Doesn’t Know You
The uncanny, addictive AI has turned math into a mystical force—and flattened humanity into a series of codes.
11 Viral TikTok Gifts That Are Actually Worth It
We tried out the gadgets that kept showing up in our feeds. Here are the ones that deserve the hype—and would make awesome presents.
TikTok’s Next Big Move? To Become Facebook
ByteDance, the Chinese company behind TikTok and Douyin, has global ambitions to challenge Meta’s universe.
Randonauting Promised Adventure. It Led to Dumpsters
Powered by the Randonautica app, the practice blew up on TikTok and Reddit following last year's lockdowns. Since then, it's left many users disappointed.
The Sneaky Way TikTok Is Connecting You to Real-Life Friends
The social network got huge by ignoring who you know. That's increasingly no longer the case.
TikTok Smells Like Gen X Spirit
On the app you'll see a raucous reboot of "slacker" attitude. Or not. Whatever.
China Cracks Down On Its Tech Giants. Sound Familiar?
Companies like Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent were once regarded with national pride. Now they’re being slapped with fines and other penalties.
TikTok a Year After Trump’s Ban: No Change, but New Threats
The popular short-video app survived a plan to block it on US phones. Now, it’s mistrusted by both the US and Chinese governments.
Welcome to Planet Egirl
What does it look like when women’s long-held interest in gaming is finally accepted into the mainstream—and embraced by billion-dollar industries?
TikTok Duets Are Reviving the Exquisite Corpse
Dances, duets, and other challenges differ greatly from the work of the Surrealists. But that doesn’t mean they’re not creating a new art form all their own.
Meet the Climate Change Activists of TikTok
A crop of eco-creators is bent on educating their followers about the looming global disaster. Can their message translate into action?
Watch Us Sing Sea Chanteys on Twitch With The Longest Johns
The WIRED crew will be playing a little Sea of Thieves too, matey.
TikTok Played a Key Role in MAGA Radicalization
The platform's absorbing endless scroll and karaoke features have built an overlooked disinformation machine.
I Found My Niche on TikTok—You Can Too
You have one minute to make a statement, but trust me, it's enough time to do something amazing.
The Death of FOMO As We Knew It
During a global pandemic, the fear of missing out was replaced by something else: dread over not experiencing what could have been.
The Best TikToks of 2020
The social media platform, which gained enormous popularity this year, served as a mirror of these often dystopian times.
My Life Is Little House on the Prairie. I Blame TikTok
Homesteading used to be a dream for another time. Then cottagecore happened.
All the Social Media Giants Are Becoming the Same
Which major platform has a news feed, disappearing posts, private messaging, and a live broadcasting feature? That would be … all of them.
Why 'Head Empty' Memes Are Dominating 2020
In a year of chaos, a series of internet tropes has sought to offer escape from the turmoil.
How Rock the Vote Became Tok the Vote
On this week’s Get WIRED podcast, writer Arielle Pardes talks about the world of political TikTok.
TikTok Witches Are Hexing the Election This Halloween
Some are casting spells to “raise a mighty blue wave,” while other conjurers are employing pro-Trump countermagics.
The TikTok Teens Trying to Meme the Vote
Groups like Tok the Vote believe viral clips are the best way to get young people to cast their ballots.
The Improbable Appeal of TikTok Tarot
You'd think that have a reading delivered via machine algorithm would make it feel less useful or relevant. You'd think wrong.