Today, more than one billion people are on TikTok, and it’s more than just dance and comedy videos being shared. For one 16-year-old girl, TikTok saved her life.
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Last Thursday, a 16-year-old girl who was reported missing was rescued from her kidnapper after flashing the hand gesture to passing cars while traveling through Kentucky. After seeing the gesture, a person in a nearby car called police.
Shortly after, her captor was arrested.
Scott Weinstein, a freshman student here at USC was shocked when he heard about the story.
SCOTT WEINSTEIN: When I first heard about the story, I thought it was incredible that something as simple as a hand gesture on social media could save someone’s life.
This hand gesture is intended to help people in dangerous situations who are unable to speak aloud. It was created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, and has since gone viral on TikTok.
Thursday’s events bring into question TikTok’s impact on society. Though TikTok has been criticized in the past, it might be bridging a gap in a whole new way.
Kaelyn Takamoto, a graduate student, sees TikTok as a way to participate in political conversations online.
KAELYN TAKAMOTO: A lot of the younger generation are being exposed to more political movements, sort of like the Black Lives Matter Movement over the summer, and that was really awesome. And, I think there are definitely some younger folks who wouldn’t have had as much knowledge given to them if it wasn’t for the resources being spread on TikTok.
Stacey Leasca, an adjunct journalism professor at USC, believes there are still parts of social media that can be good for the global community, but many focus on the negatives.
STACEY LEASCA: Ignoring social media at this point in history is a mistake… I think that while we have fun on social media, to see it as frivolous would be disingenuous to what social media can do. It’s a place where the mass majority of Americans receive their news.
As the app grows, many hope that TikTok will continue to be influential in its ability to reach audiences and spread awareness. A young girl is home safe, thanks to what can now be considered a distress signal.