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Microdramas, or vertical soap operas are scripted made-for-mobile shows that are gaining incredible popularity in the US. They are cheap to make and filled with enough drama to keep their audience hooked for 3 minutes or less. Marquise Francis and I sat down with some of the most popular microdrama stars and producers to see what the trend is all about.

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Since growing a platform on social media, I've had the amazing opportunity to collaborate with great media outlets and other content creators. Here are some of the greatest hits!

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When TikTok's news bestie got sick with food poisoning they called me to fill in or them!

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Thank you for stepping in @Myca Hinton | GenZ News ❤️ #news

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@underthedesknews
Thank you for stepping in @Myca Hinton | GenZ News ❤️ #news
♬ original sound - UnderTheDeskNews

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So what exactly is going on with inflation?

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#stitch with @mycahinton OPEC+ is cutting oil production and the Federal Reserve is purposely hiking up unemployment. Just another day of our government keeping the rich rich and the poor poor. #stockmarket #jobsearching #jobinterview #hiringnow #jobs #employment #federalreserve #inflation #dowjones #economy #money #thefed #economics #opec #gasprices 

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@mycahinton
#stitch with @mycahinton OPEC+ is cutting oil production and the Federal Reserve is purposely hiking up unemployment. Just another day of our government keeping the rich rich and the poor poor. #stockmarket #jobsearching #jobinterview #hiringnow #jobs #employment #federalreserve #inflation #dowjones #economy #money #thefed #economics #opec #gasprices
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton

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As the drug and opioid crisis in America spikes, it's important that we have the tools to help others in need.

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@theskimm Narcan literally saves lives!! What if it was available over the counter? #narcan #narcansaveslives #naloxone #opioids #opioidcrisis #opioidepidemic #addictionisreal #addictionrecovery#recoveryispossible #partying #lifesavingtips #lifesavinghacks #lifesavingfacts  #greenscreen 

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@mycahinton
@theskimm Narcan literally saves lives!! What if it was available over the counter? #narcan #narcansaveslives #naloxone #opioids #opioidcrisis #opioidepidemic #addictionisreal #addictionrecovery#recoveryispossible #partying #lifesavingtips #lifesavinghacks #lifesavingfacts #greenscreen
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton

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American homelessness is a solvable problem and yet our government tells us there's nothing we can do besides force them out of the makeshift homes they make.

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Thank you @Myca Hinton for hosting! #goodmorningbadnews #homeless #homelessness #charity #love #help #donate #community #volunteer #homelesslivesmatter #homelesspeople #giveback  #mentalhealth #poor #poverty

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@goodmorningbadnews
Thank you @Myca Hinton for hosting! #goodmorningbadnews #homeless #homelessness #charity #love #help #donate #community #volunteer #homelesslivesmatter #homelesspeople #giveback #mentalhealth #poor #poverty
♬ original sound - Good Morning, Bad News

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With the costs of college and higher education increasing every year, it makes sense that career paths for GenZ would change as well. NBC News reporter Marquise Francis and I talked to some GenZ Tradesmen and how their sharing their experiences on social media.

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Andrew Salgado knew college wasn't for him.

Still, after graduating high school in 2023, he was set to enroll in an accounting program at a local technical college a few months later because he thought he had to.

"I was the guy who figured, 'OK, I don't know what I'm doing, but I can't not go to college,'" said Salgado, 20, who lives just outside of Tampa, Florida.

But just weeks before he was set to start, Salgado's mother convinced him to switch his major to a skilled trade by highlighting the opportunities across industries for someone with a problem-solving personality like his own.

After scouring social media for days for videos about various trade jobs, Salgado soon landed on HVAC, or heating, ventilation and air conditioning, because of his desire to help people in need. So he changed his major and eventually graduated trade school. Two years later, he's an HVAC technician who helps fix cooling units in homes. And he can't imagine himself doing anything else.

"I love every second of it," said Salgado.

Salgado is one of a growing number of Gen Zers who are choosing careers in skilled trades. They're becoming electricians, welders and HVAC technicians because of the promise of long-term stability without having to go into major student debt.

A Resume Builder survey from May, which polled 1,434 adults between the ages of 18 and 28, found that 42% of Gen Z workers say they're turning to blue collar work with the top two motivators being avoiding student debt and not being replaced by artificial intelligence.

And last year, Gen Z accounted for nearly one in four new hires in skilled trade roles, despite making up just 14% of the total working population, according to Gusto, a payroll and benefits company.

Many are showcasing their jobs on TikTok through " day in the life" videos - posting both fun and frustrating moments - while garnering millions of views. The videos offer audiences on the app, where 1 in 3 users are between the ages of 18 and 24, a window into the trades.

Salgado's videos often document his entire day, from brushing his teeth before the sun rises to completing several service jobs by early evening.

"I just want to show the next generation, I'm 18, 19, 20 years old in these videos, and if I could do it, you guys could too," he said.

Adrian China, a 19-year-old electrician apprentice from New Jersey, agrees.

"It feels nice to be able to inspire people and make them do better for themselves," said China, who often shares videos of electrical projects he finishes throughout the day.

Some say it has changed how they view the so-called American dream.

Jordan Morris, a 20-year-old HVAC tech in Richmond, Virginia, wants to work for himself. "Ten years from now, I want to start my own company," he said.

For Salgado, it's all about family.

"As long as I have a family, a wife, kids - that's home for me," said Salgado. "That's the American dream."

College vs. trade school

Amid skyrocketing tuition costs at four-year colleges, alongside the threat of artificial intelligence taking over white-collar roles, many young people are turning to blue-collar jobs because of the lower barrier to entry.

The average cost of a four-year college in the U.S. is about $108,000 over four years - a figure that has grown 45% in the last 20 years, when adjusted for inflation, according to U.S. News & World Report. In contrast, most trade schools range in duration from a few weeks of instruction to two years. The cost is a fraction of four-year colleges': from a few thousand dollars to as much as $25,000 in total. Some trade schools allow students to earn a wage while they learn, while others are fully sponsored by companies where graduates plan to work.

After giving college a try twice just before the start of the Covid pandemic, Mary Millican, a 24-year-old electrician in rural Nevada, turned to a career in the trades because, she said, it allows her to have a job "whenever and wherever."

So, she pivoted, dropped out of college and enrolled in power lineman school, and eventually electrician school. Now, as both an electrician and an assistant trade instructor, Millican said she posts videos of herself working on power lines or in the local mines to help encourage other young people, especially women, to get into the field.

"I found passion helping others on TikTok find their way in the trades," said Millican.

High demand, low supply of trade professionals

There are millions of unfilled skilled roles, and not enough people to fill them. The BLS estimates there are 500,000 open manufacturing jobs in the U.S., and some estimates expect that number to balloon to 2 million by 2033.

Gen Z is starting to help fill that gap.

Chad Phillip, an instructor at Fred's Appliance Academy, a trade school in Ohio, has seen the average age of his classes drop considerably in recent years. His latest class helps students become certified to fix a host of kitchen appliances in three weeks. The average age of a student is about 28 years old, with several 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, he said.

"The biggest thing I get from the students is that they desire to be hands on," he said. "They don't want to sit in an office or a cubicle and do that type of work."

The school promotes its classes on TikTok and Facebook, posting clips of students working on appliances in class. Between the platforms, the school has more than 50,000 followers, with some students admitting that they first learned of trades from the video clips.

"It is becoming more common that a student arrives on the first day of class and they'll say, 'Hey I saw you on TikTok or Facebook,'" said Phillip.

Over time, experts say, trades that have generally relied on word of mouth or employee referrals have begun drawing more young people via social media. And the data backs that up.

A 2024 "Future of the Skilled Trades" report by Thumbtack, a platform that connects hundreds of thousands of trade professionals to homeowners in need of home maintenance, found that 2 out of 3 Gen Zers say that social media has increased their interest in the trades. And more than half, 55%, say they would consider a career in the trades - up from the previous year, according to the poll, which surveyed 1,000 people ages 16 to 26 over two days in July last year.

Marco Zappacosta, the CEO of Thumbtack and the author of the report, said social media has a way of influencing young people more than teachers and family do.

Trade industries, he added, have long remained stable even as technology has evolved and have withstood economic downturns because of the in-demand services they provide.

Because of this, Zappacosta said, nearly 40% of the pros who have joined Thumbtack since 2024 are under 35.

"When they look at these categories, what they see is something that is likely not going away," he said. "If your hot water heater breaks, you're gonna hire somebody to fix it."

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Gen Z workers tell their blue-collar stories on TikTok

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"It feels nice to be able to inspire people and make them do better for themselves," says an electrician apprentice who posts videos of his projects.

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As college costs continue to rise GenZ is looking for other options to live their American Dream. NBC News reporter Marquise Francis and I had the opportunity to talk to the starts of TradesTok and see how GenZ is making a living through trades on social media.

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Gen Z choosing trade schools over college

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My best work from 2023-2024!

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As a Baltimore native, I grew up hearing urban legends about Lincoln Park and Adnan Syed's case. After a video update on the case of mine went viral, Tubi asked me to appear in one of their first original true crime documentaries.

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Mystery Unsolved: The Adnan Syed Story | Official Trailer | Tubi Original

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With the Supreme Court's removal of affirmative action, many believe that court has changed who will have access to a college education for the foreseeable future.

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The Supreme Strikes Down Affirmative Action.  The Supreme Court has voted to overrule Affirmative Action, completely changing who will have access to a college campus.   #edwardblum  #scoutus #scoutusnews #affirmativeaction #harvard #studentsforfairadmissions

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@mycahinton
The Supreme Strikes Down Affirmative Action. The Supreme Court has voted to overrule Affirmative Action, completely changing who will have access to a college campus. #edwardblum #scoutus #scoutusnews #affirmativeaction #harvard #studentsforfairadmissions
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton

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As many as 22 million Americans have applied for President Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness program. But a federal court ordered a temporary stay on the roll out plan in response to a law suit initiated by 6 Republican led states.

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Replying to @mycahinton Student Loan Relief Block Explained #studentloans #studentloanrelief #studenloanforgiveness #studentdebt #heroesact 

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@mycahinton
Replying to @mycahinton Student Loan Relief Block Explained #studentloans #studentloanrelief #studenloanforgiveness #studentdebt #heroesact
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton | GenZ News

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Bernie Shaw was one of the innovative journalists of the century. It was a shame that his life, death, and impact on journalism, didn't get as much airtime as it deserved. Bernie was also CNN's first Chief News Anchor, a position that led the network to the success it has today.

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CNN lost one of its 1st and best journalists, Bernie Shaw #bernieshaw #bernardshaw #cnn #cnnnews #tedturner #foxnews 

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@mycahinton
CNN lost one of its 1st and best journalists, Bernie Shaw #bernieshaw #bernardshaw #cnn #cnnnews #tedturner #foxnews
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton | GenZ News

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As Russia continues to invade Ukraine and infringe on their sovereignty, I have been giving my viewers updates on the war. I typically give them a morning and late night update and try to answer any questions they might have in my comments section or during one of my livestreams.

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@mycahinton
Russia Ukraine Update 3/5 #russia #ukraine #russiaukraine #politicaltiktok #politicalnews #geopolitics #russiaukraineconflict #belarusrussia
♬ original sound - Myca Hinton

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Since growing my presence across platforms, I have been featured in a few articles for my work. Here are a few of the pieces I've been featured in.

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January 6 is a heated topic in the United States currently and it's hard to separate fact from fiction. I have been watching the January 6 Committe Hearings and giving recaps on my TikTok page. In this article I explain how I feel the discussion surrounding January 6 is on social media platform like TikTok.

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How some TikTokers are explaining the Jan. 6 hearings - The Washington Post

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I had the opportunity to be interviewed by classmate and friend Carrie Berk on why I think TikTok is built to last and why it has become a place for people to get their news.

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Remember former President Donald Trump's efforts to ban TikTok in 2020? According to his executive order, apps such as TikTok "developed and owned by companies in the People's Republic of China (China) [continue] to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States." With advanced user-safety features, cultural initiatives and monetization opportunities, TikTok still stands-and its influence is stronger than ever.

In August 2021, President Joe Biden revoked the executive order that sought to instigate the TikTok ban. Not much has been said since, but the Biden administration has ensured it will establish "clear intelligible criteria" to evaluate national security risks posed by the app.

While platforms like Vine and Musical.ly have faltered, TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has proven itself a social media titan. The app has over 1 billion users, while Vine had 200 million users at its peak. Instagram and Snapchat have recently lost steam, while TikTok continues to develop new features for creators and viewers. TikTok has also broken into mainstream culture, with actresses, publications and even politicians running accounts. Here's why the app will continue to prosper.
An Emphasis on Diversity
TikTok features a diverse community of creators, bolstered by the Creator Diversity Collective. According to TikTok, the collective is "a braintrust of talented, passionate creators from different backgrounds who've helped create and shape programs that spotlight and amplify diverse creators." The app also hosted the TikTok for Black Creatives accelerator program, where 100 Black creators and music artists had the opportunity to attend events, forums and town halls to support their content. TikTok's Support Black Businesses initiative provides information about businesses users can support as well.
TikTok as a News Outlet
TikTok is not just for teens-magazines and newspapers are using the app to deliver news in a short-form video format. Many have deemed Russia's invasion of Ukraine the first "TikTok War," as creators post videos to spread awareness. The White House organized a Zoom call with 30 top TikTok creators to provide them with information on the crisis. Myca Hinton, a TikTok creator with over 50,000 followers, has been closely covering the war. "I started covering it in an attempt to stop misinformation and help people better understand the consequences of World War II that most Americans don't learn about," Hinton said. "The average American reads at a 6-8 grade level, but the average article is written at an 11-12 grade level. I try to bridge the gap by breaking the news down and putting it in simple terms."
Constant Trendsetting
On TikTok, new trends emerge every day across all niches, as displayed on the "Discover" page. Creators have the opportunity to upload their own take on a popular sound or hashtag, or they can duet/stitch a popular video from their "For You" page. Videos by TikTok creator Emily Mariko of food hacks, subversive basics fashion inspiration and personal flashback clips using Harry Styles' song "As It Was" are among the trends of the moment.
User Safety Features
TikTok constantly monitors users' accounts to make sure videos do not violate their Community Guidelines. The app also has an option to turn on comment filters. Creators can filter out keywords or switch on an automatic filter for spam and offensive comments.

Monetization Tools for Creators
TikTok Creator Marketplace is an in-app influencer marketing platform where brands can communicate with creators about promotional inquiries without the use of a third-party platform. Additionally, users with over 10,000 followers and 100,000 video views in the past 30 days can apply for the TikTok Creator Fund to monetize their videos. Funds are calculated based on video views, overall engagement and adherence to Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
Actors, Actresses and Musical Artists Are on TikTok
A-list celebrities have launched their own TikTok accounts. Several are using the app to invoke nostalgia for past projects, including Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Jason Derulo, Ashley Tisdale and Gwen Stefani.
Variation in Video Length
While Vine videos could only be a maximum of six seconds, TikTok now allows users to create content up to 10 minutes long. Users still seem to favor a shorter video format, but the option to produce lengthier videos is available.
Brands Are Using TikTok as a Marketing Strategy
When brick and mortar stores shut down during quarantine, brands had no choice but to turn to influencer marketing. TikTok makes it easy for companies to boost brief, 15-second ads. As opposed to a static post on Instagram, which may look posed, influencers can showcase products in their own lifestyles using a video format.
The Opportunity for Instant Fame
The TikTok algorithm makes it possible for everyday users to go viral from anywhere. Anyone's video can wind up on the "For You" page, regardless of follower count or verification status. "I used to make videos for fun with my dance team and friends on TikTok when I was in high school," said Katie Feeney, who now has over 6.8 million followers on TikTok. "I realized I could make money doing something I loved, and my account continued to grow. That success led me to pay for college and make a career out of posting on TikTok."

As a TikTok creator myself with over 3.5 million followers, I have witnessed the powerful effects of the platform firsthand. In a matter of months over the pandemic, the app brought out an extroverted, unfiltered side of me that even I could not have seen coming. It's easy to say a new social media app will rise, the next Charli D'Amelio will emerge and trending dances will continue to surface. But TikTok is more than just a pastime: it's a platform for change, empowering users to embrace diversity and own their unique selves. It's a medium of self-expression that celebrates a wide range of unique genres (music, dance, acting, comedy, cooking, fitness and more). The app serves as a link between countries and cultures worldwide, allowing users to admire and interact with creators from afar.

During quarantine, TikTok even served as a lifeline for tweens and teens (an estimated 25 percent of users are ages 10-19), guaranteeing a smile and laugh amid otherwise dreary days. When my own mental health suffered during the pandemic, TikTok picked me back up again-it gave me a passion and purpose. The platform is not just another social media "phase." TikTok was and is a savior to my spirit and self-confidence, and I know I'm not alone in this sentiment. The app isn't going anywhere, and if it's tested again in the political sphere, Gen Z isn't going down without a fight.

Carrie Berk is a 19-year-old New York City-based writer. Her work has been featured in CBS Watch, Stylecaster, Girls' Life and more. She is also a social media influencer, with over 3.5 million followers on TikTok and 680,000 on Instagram (@carrieberkk).
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

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Remember former President Donald Trump's efforts to ban TikTok in 2020? According to his executive order, apps such as TikTok "developed and owned by companies in the People's Republic of China (China) [continue] to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States."

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I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Yahoo's Kerry Justich about my coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on TikTok. In the article I talk about how younger GenZers have a willingness to learn about international policies, conflicts, and events, but sometimes lack the background knowledge or history. I also talked about how my platform on TikTok is often the younger generations news source, as they don't watch broadcast news like older Americans do. This is not an opportunity that I take lightly and always strive for accurate yet understandable and contextual content on my platform, to earn the younger generation's trust.

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Social media feeds and TikTok's For You page are being inundated with posts and videos about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, from first-hand accounts from Ukrainian creators to clips posted by traditional news outlets. When it comes to providing the necessary information for Gen Z and young millennial audiences who might not know the historical context of the conflict, however, it is their peers who are doing the work of providing informative news in a relatable, digestible way.

A.B. Burns-Tucker, a single mom, law student and paralegal, started posting information about Russia's invasion of Ukraine on her TikTok on Feb. 7. In her very first video on the topic, she garnered more than 15 million views.

"When the Russia-Ukraine situation came up and I was watching it and kind of analyzing it, in my own mind, I was like, 'I'm gonna tell it as if I was talking to one of my friends and how that conversation would go,'" she tells Yahoo Life. "I never thought it was going to take off the way it did. I just thought my friends would see it and be like, 'Oh, cool. I get it now.' And next thing I knew, the video got like 15 million views and my face is everywhere."

Burns-Tucker explains that she started posting to social media about wrongful convictions following that of her own brother. Once she realized that people were interested in the conversations she was having about criminal justice, she started to discuss the political news that she was passionate about. It wasn't until conversations started brewing on social media about the escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine that she took a different approach to sharing information. She also wanted to make it a point to speak directly to her younger, Black audience.

"When it comes to culture and race, I'm gonna be honest, I'm speaking to the people who know I'm speaking to them, right? They get it. And it's mostly the Black community because we don't have that type of representation that we can really look to," she says, referring to the lack of representation in traditional news media and her use of African American vernacular English (AAVE). "For me, this is kind of bridging that gap between feeling like we have to always wear this mask to be relevant or code switch to be relevant. When in reality, I'm saying the exact same thing that is being said on the news by more seasoned anchors. I'm just saying it in a way where my community can feel me on it and can relate to it. And they feel like they're fully included."

For younger social media users looking to parse through the onslaught of news and information being presented on the topic, this type of relatability is key. Sami Sage, co-founder and CCO of Betches Media, tells Yahoo Life that it's all about creating a frame of reference for Gen Z and millennial audiences who might not have an understanding of the historical context for a complex conflict like this one.

"It's easier for people to understand things when it's put in their language, but also explained with the references that they actually understand," Sage says. "So having sort of the millennial frame of mind and set of references not only to just explain things but also to know what people's base understanding of something is to even know how to start explaining it, is really helpful."

While Sage has mastered her communication with this audience through her work in media, she only began to introduce political topics and international current affairs when she felt that her audience was expressing interest throughout 2020 and 2021. She has since found her voice in the arena by hosting a daily podcast called Morning Announcements and exploring important news and headlines on her personal Instagram page. In the days since Russia invaded Ukraine, Sage has engaged with her 58,000-plus followers through grid posts and interactive Instagram stories.

"People are drawn to what naturally feels fun, not that it's really easy to make a huge geopolitical conflict fun. But I think that there's just a little bit lower of a cortisol spike that comes when you're encountering someone's explanation of the situation on their Instagram Story versus watching cable news or sitting down and reading a desktop article," Sage says of meeting younger people where they're at. "There's an easier access point, it's not just the three nightly news networks anymore."

Not only is this access point "easier," but Victoria Hammett, deputy executive director and content manager for the TikTok page Gen Z for Change, which has 1.4 million followers, tells Yahoo Life that it's necessary.

"The reality is that young people don't watch the news the way older Americans do. Television viewership has collapsed amongst our peers. But, like any other generation, we want to know what is going on in the world around us. What young people do watch is TikTok, and we watch it at a rate that may shock older Americans," she explains. "With this in mind, Gen Z for Change figured out a way to deliver important information in a way that keeps young people watching, informed and engaged. Gen Z for Change makes it a priority to provide an outlet where we can spread accurate news in a way that is easy to understand and quick enough to grab Gen Z's attention. It's an added bonus that we can staff our videos with some of our generation's most recognizable faces."

It is with that same understanding that Myca Hinton, a 21-year-old Fordham University student and TikTok creator, has built a platform that she says Gen Zers not only engage with but also trust. It's an added bonus that social media allows for a conversation where young people get the opportunity to ask follow-up questions about the details that they don't understand in the comments sections of posts.

"'What led up to this point? How does World War II play into this? What is the whole post-World War II order? What does that mean?'" Hinton lists off as some of the things she's been asked. "So they really have been asking the right questions. And I think that some people just need to have a little bit of grace with younger Americans because we genuinely do want to know what's going on in different parts of the world, but we just don't always have access to that information."

While social media's role in news and international affairs is still new, the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine will prove to be a pivotal moment in demonstrating how platforms like TikTok create more accessible avenues for gathering this information. Burns-Tucker hopes that it will provide an opportunity to make bigger change when it comes to political communication, engagement and activism.

"We're translating the most difficult concepts and language into plain terms, and everybody is receiving it. It's not just Black people, it's not even just young people," she says, noting that creators aren't "dumbing down" these complex events. "What we're seeing now, especially with the internet, is that we can break through those barriers and mindsets and still be just as effective."
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Gen Z is learning about Russia's invasion of Ukraine on TikTok. Why creators say it's critical to speak about the conflict 'in their language'

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Social media feeds and TikTok's For You page are being inundated with posts and videos about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, from first-hand accounts from Ukrainian creators to clips posted by traditional news outlets.

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In this article I sat down with my newest bestie, Reuters reporter Daphne Psaledakis to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how GenZ was learning about it through social media. Daphne took the time to ask me about my creative process when creating TikToks on the matter and wanted to know about my unique perspective as a Zillennial, making content for younger GenZers.

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Feb 14 (Reuters) - The teens, tweens and adults of Gen Z are turning to TikTok and Instagram to hash over the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, some appealing to a leader they call "Vladdy Daddy" to refrain from starting a war.

TikTok videos have also become a source for researchers tracking Russia's buildup of more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine, though Moscow denies Western accusations that it is planning to invade its neighbor. read more

Social media users left thousands of comments on Instagram posts from unofficial Russian President Vladimir Putin accounts in recent weeks. A Meta Platforms (FB.O) spokesperson said they are not aware that Putin has any official presence on Facebook and Instagram.

The nickname "Vladdy Daddy", which can also have sexual connotations, became popular on the internet around 2016 according to meme database Know Your Meme.

Generation Z, considered by researchers to be people born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s, includes Hanka, a 12-year-old in Slovakia who learned of the meme through TikTok and posted "Vladdy daddy please no war..." in the comments on one of the accounts.

Others left comments such as "Mercurys in retrograde Vladdy this isnt you..."

"Me and my friends were playing truth or dare and they dared me to type that," Hanka, who asked only to be identified by her first name, said in a phone interview.

But the meme drew criticism on Twitter from Lena, 16, who lives in Poland.

"I don't think that people that live far away and see it only as a meme or as a joke should be joking about it, because it's a serious situation," Lena, who asked to be identified only by her first name, said in a phone interview.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on whether there was any evidence of coordinated behavior to mislead people around the trend.

Many of the messages and videos do not say where they are being posted from.

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms in Russia, with a monthly reach of more than 40 million people, according to research company MediaScope.

FROM DANCE TO POLITICS

TikTok has seen explosive growth in recent years. While the app owned by Chinese tech company ByteDance was known in its earlier days for teens' viral challenges and dance trends, it has increasingly become a destination for political content.

"It's just interesting the way that TikTok kind of connects younger audiences to politics and world events," said Nina Jankowicz, a researcher who works with the UK-based Centre for Information Resilience to verify open source content about the crisis. "No other platform really has done that to the same degree."

But she believes the online engagement is unlikely to generate offline action, such as large scale protests.

Videos explaining the Russia-Ukraine crisis have also been circulating, some from the West and others that appear to be from Russia.

Myca Hinton, a 21-year-old student at Fordham University in New York who posts news and commentary videos on TikTok, has received thousands of views on her videos about the crisis. She hopes they will help high school students better understand what they learn in school and inform college students who might not watch TV or have newspaper subscriptions.

Hinton said she tailors her language to a younger audience, adding puns and easy-to-understand words.

"I think that TikTok has definitely played a huge role in where we get our information or where we sort of formulate our opinions, just because that is the app that everyone's on right now," said Hinton, who posts under the handle @mycahinton.

Russian-language videos explaining the crisis have also been posted, in addition to videos purportedly showing military equipment on the move.

One user, Maxim, with 29,000 followers and who uses the handle @novosileckij, has racked up almost 1 million views for an explainer video expressing doubt that Russia will actually invade Ukraine.

SOURCE FOR SERIOUS STUDY

For open source researchers, TikTok videos posted by users in the region have also been used to track military equipment.

Michael Sheldon, a research associate at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab, says through TikTok he has been tracking military equipment from Russia. This was one of the first military buildups where the app was a major source for his research, Sheldon said.

"TikTok is one of the main games in terms of visual information collecting on the buildup," Sheldon said, adding that about 80% of his open source analysis of the buildup was coming from TikTok.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on whether it has used TikTok videos from bystanders in tracking the buildup.

Jankowicz said that young people in Russia risk their futures when posting on social media, citing arrests over Facebook and Instagram posts. Russia has put pressure on major social media companies through fines and slowdowns to remove banned content.

TikTok's latest transparency report said Russia was the single largest source of government removal requests in the period January-June 2021.

Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Elizabeth Culliford in New York; Additional reporting by Alexander Marrow in Moscow; Editing by Mary Milliken and Grant McCool

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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'Vladdy daddy please no war...' Gen Z posts on Russia-Ukraine tensions

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Feb 14 (Reuters) - The teens, tweens and adults of Gen Z are turning to TikTok and Instagram to hash over the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, some appealing to a leader they call "Vladdy Daddy" to refrain from starting a war.

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Hi there!  My name is Myca Hinton and I'm a Fordham University alum and current Production Assistant at NBC News Now's Stay Tuned with Gadi Schwartz.  When not at 30 Rock, you can catch me online on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, breaking down the news in only a way GenZ could!

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After the summer of 2020 we had with the BLM uprisings, declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday was a great symbolic gesture and a step in the right direction. In this article I discuss what the holiday means and how symbolic gestures can often distract from the real problem.

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Juneteeth, a Symbolic Victory in a Long Fight for Racial Justice (1)

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We know the resume never tells the whole story, but we have to start from somewhere.

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Failure to plan is planning to fail. Here I have written my mission statement for what I aim to do as both an artist and a journalist. I feel clear in my mission and want my audience to know just where I'm coming from. In the end my mission is to uplift my community whether that be on the stage or on the page.

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While it was unfortunate that neither Gabby Petitio or Brian Laundrie were able to return home safe and sound, this was one of the updates that I did on the case. I typically gave viewers a morning and evening update, making sure to give them the most recent news in the case. I also made sure to include the phone number for federal and local tip lines, if any of my viewers happen to come across anything to report.

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Let the manhunt begin #gabbypetito #gabbypetitoupdate #brianlaundrie #gabbypetitocase #fypシ #hellofall #CandyCrushAllStars #fypage #popculture

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@mycahinton
Let the manhunt begin #gabbypetito #gabbypetitoupdate #brianlaundrie #gabbypetitocase #fypシ #hellofall #CandyCrushAllStars #fypage #popculture
♬ original sound - MycaHinton

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Algorithm's have been shown to often suppress BIPOC creators on apps such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. In this zine I talk about how TikTok's algorithm listed the word "black" as inappropriate material, effectively suppressing many Black creators on the app.

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The Censorship & Suppression Of the Black Creator