In the early 1900s, the tobacco industry was trying to tap into a new demographic to sell its products: women. However, smoking was not considered socially acceptable for women at the time. Enter Edward Bernays, widely regarded as the founder of public relations. Bernays believed in the power of propaganda to manipulate the masses, and was hired by American Tobacco Company to help sell cigarettes to women. To achieve this goal, he staged a public display of women smoking during the Easter Day Parade in New York City in 1929.
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Bernays then convinced the press that suffragettes would light up “torches of freedom” during the parade to show they were equal to men. This campaign commodified women’s progress and desire to be considered equal to men, and was a significant factor in the normalization of smoking among women. Following this successful campaign, cigarette companies began creating ad campaigns that targeted women, using images of slender, sophisticated women to promote their products.
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Fast forward to the present day, and we see a similar trend with social media app TikTok. Like smoking in the 20th century, TikTok has become increasingly popular among young people, with millions of children and teenagers using the app to create and share short videos. However, there are growing concerns about the potential dangers of TikTok for children, including exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, and addiction.
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The government has also taken action against TikTok, with the app being banned in India and facing potential bans in other countries. The United States government has raised concerns about TikTok as a national security risk, with fears that the Chinese-owned app could be used to spy on American citizens. This has led to calls for TikTok to be banned in the United States, with some politicians and public figures advocating for a complete ban on the app.
Despite these concerns, many young people continue to use TikTok, with some even gaining viral fame on the app. This brings us to North West, the daughter of Kim Kardashian and Ye. North recently posted videos on her TikTok page, including one in which she and her friends danced to the hit song "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2" by PinkPantheress and Ice Spice. In the videos, North is seen wearing an orange wig, similar to Ice Spice's signature hairstyle, and a white Juicy Couture sweatsuit. She also wears a chain similar to Ice Spice's $100,000 diamond chain with her face on it.
We will not include the video here as Ye does not want it seen.
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The lyrics to the song are racy and not appropriate for a child, which has caused some controversy online. Some have defended North's right to express herself and use the app, while others have criticized her parents for allowing her to use TikTok and for exposing her to inappropriate content.
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The controversy surrounding North's use of TikTok highlights the larger concerns about the app's impact on children and teenagers. TikTok has been criticized for its lack of regulation and the potential harm it can cause to young people. It is important for parents to be aware of these dangers and to monitor their children's use of the app.
The history of the tobacco industry's efforts to sell cigarettes to women through propaganda and manipulation is eerily similar to the current trend of TikTok's popularity among young people. However, while smoking was eventually recognized as a public health hazard and regulated, TikTok's impact on children is unregulated. With calls for bans on the app and concerns about its potential harm, it is up to parents and society as a whole to address these issues and protect our children from the dangers of TikTok.

TikTok and the Propaganda of Social Engineering: The Danger to Young Minds

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