TikTok’s Role in Forming False Perceptions Around Gen Z

Written by Cathy Li
Edited by Sabrina Khan
Photo by Elise Su

How have social media platforms defined who we are? From memes exaggerating how much we love to sleep, to short clips on how much we hate homework, social media has built stereotypes… but to what extent are these claims true?

The first stereotype is an obvious one. Gen Z is lazy; we don't try in school. Social media platforms, like Tiktok and Instagram, have been circulating the notion that “Gen Z hates school.” You may have heard that “we love to sleep” or “we never do our homework.” These posts have magnified and generalized this stereotype… and the victim to all of this is Gen Z. The hashtag “schoolsucks” has more than 900 million views. I created that hashtag up on the spot, while I was writing this. If I’m being honest, I didn’t even know whether the hashtag would exist on TikTok, but it does not surprise me that it does. A phrase as simple and plain as “school sucks” has reached millions and millions of people,which says a lot about social media’s influence on our perceptions.t’s has proven to be effective in reaching large audiences quickly. Although the videos are not evidently directed towards Gen Z , it is apparent that these videos are targeting high school or college students. Whether the creators posted these relatable videos for the likes and views or not, the problem lies within how stereotypical and widespread these claims quickly become.

Gen Z is dependent on technology and we are addicted to social media as well. It’s ironic how successful social media has been in displaying Gen Z’s addiction to social media. A post from “okjackok,” titled “gen z getting kidnapped,” has nearly a million views and more than 200 thousand likes. That is more than enough attention for a cheesy and dramatic video, teeming with stereotypes, on how Gen Z would react to getting kidnapped. The clip starts off with the creator saying, “There’s no service in here? Do you not have wifi?” while holding out a fake phone to “get some signal.” One of our main assumptions toward Gen Z is their addiction to their phones, which the video clearly emphasized on — making technology related issues the first thing a Gen Z would bring up if they were in a dire situation as extreme as being kidnapped. Although the post is obviously satire, the fact that his whole account is dedicated to “relatable” and funny Gen Z videos, generating a following of 1.2 million people, shows just how predominant these perceptions of Gen Z have become due to social media platforms.

The last stereotype is a slew of ideas stemming from the previous two stereotypes. Gen Z has often been portrayed as being socially awkward ,often introverted, and dealing with a lot of mental health issues, like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. But where have these ideas come from? The stereotypes surrounding our laziness and addiction to phones. These circulating “facts” lead many people to assume we often stay home — opting to play video games all day or scroll through social media, instead of going outside or doing schoolwork. It leaves us with the conclusion that most of us would be socially awkward in real life settings, due to how we are constantly immersed and involved in the digital world. These stereotypes strip teenagers of their identity. There are many teens that do not fit into these preconceived notions about the groups. People often put Gen Z as the main victim to mental illnesses; when in reality, it can happen to everyone. A TikTok video from “pasha” has nearly 5 millions views and more than 600 thousand likes. Pasha’s ten second video shows “Gen Z at work,” with several shots titled “slay!”, “mental health day everyday,” “I can’t work today because I have trauma,” and “my profession is depression.” The message of the video is obvious and simple: Gen Z is depressed and packed with trauma, and we use it as an excuse. But the creator specifically chose Gen Z, when other generations, like Millennials experience the same thing — if not more. In fact, there were several comments under the TikTok, from older audiences saying how they can relate to the video as a Millenial. This shows how quickly social media can jump to conclusions, often ignorantly wrapping the words “Gen Z” in them.

‘These perceptions around Gen Z often holds some truth, just like every other stereotype. It’s easy to forget that every generation has a wide range of ages and a large number of people, many of whom would not fall under these stereotypes. Social media pushes the limit to these assumptions — making exaggerated claims that create a negative impression on the entire generation. Unfortunately, platforms like TikTok thrive on these overstated remarks as they come off “funny” and appeal to many users. Thus, it fuels the stereotypes not just surrounding Gen Z, but a lot of other groups as well.