With the ongoing popularity of TikTok growing at a rapid rate, the most popular users are reaching celebrity status. These “TikTokers” entertain their followers by dancing in front of a camera. Sure, while amusing to some, these dances take no real effort.

 With the platform’s no.1 user Charli D’Amelio coming under fire a few weeks ago for seeming to be ungrateful for her 95 million-plus following. Her sister, Dixie D’Amelio also received hateful comments after a video was posted of her throwing up a snail cooked by their private chef.

 Although the D’Amelio sisters have now explained themselves, this sheds a certain light on the privilege given to these “TikTokers” who received fame for essentially dancing in front of their phones. Popular users like the D’Amelio sisters, Addison Rae, Noah Beck, and others, are prime examples of “Pretty Privilege” and how all it takes to rise to the top is to meet the traditional beauty standards. 

 The question arises, “with tons of users all over the internet,  putting tons of effort into their content, why did people dancing with a ring light and iPhone become huge social media influencers?” It is no secret that a majority of the following that these huge TikTok influencers have is from young teens and adults. The possibility arises that these young people begin to think that the “shortcut” to financial success is through becoming an influencer and doing a similar thing to the TikTokers they idolize. This brings in the risk of abandoning the drive to pursue a more traditional means of accumulating wealth, like going to college and earning a degree, or starting up a business.