Tikk is offering a new way for users to spread the virus. When uploading content, users can not only mark individual creators in the video description, but also mark specific videos. The platform claims that this new feature will "better realize the return of creators and provide fair ownership for our Creator community and content sponsors."
This change is partly a response to user complaints that the platform deals with viral content in a parasitic way. For example, last summer, some black dance creators went on strike from the app, pointing out that many viral dances (such as renegade and savage) were created by black users and then spread to other parts of the community without proper reward.
This pattern of exploitation existed in digital space long before the rise of tiktok. For example, LaToya Peterson wrote in Wired magazine in 2016 that vine, the ancestor of short video, also ignored black creators, who provided some of the most lasting original works for the platform. However, on tiktok, due to the application's ability to spread viral trends through shared audio and tags, it can be said that the problem of attribution is more prominent.
Satisfying creators is an important part of maintaining the longevity of a platform, as kudzi chikumbu, creator community director of tiktok, mentioned in a post announcing the change.
Chikumbu wrote: "these features are an important step in our continued commitment to investing in resources and product experiences that support and reward the culture of online communities, which is crucial to ensuring that tiktok continues to be a home for creative expression. Whether participating in the latest trend video activities, telling a joke to entertain the public, or creating the next viral sound, creators can easily and directly cite their inspiration."