[spoaceman7777]

Just getting to the point of using a voice mode is a challenge at that level. Like, we're talking about "has trouble formulating a question to ask in the first place".

There's a whole level of ignorance out there that is honestly dumbfounding to even comprehend. The numbers for numeracy and problem solving are even more horrifying.

(It's for this reason that the most popular apps in the US are algorithmically generated feeds of photos, and often-non-verbal videos shorter than a TV advertisement.)

[foxglacier]

I thought not needing words was because people often watch them on their phone in public without sound. Who are these people that can't enjoy listening to spoken words because of illiteracy or ignorance?

[spoaceman7777]

I mean... Tiktok's hallmark trend has always been people doing "TikTok dances", which involve audio, so...

But, besides that, TikTok became the titan it is today during the pandemic. When everyone was indoors (not outside).

Per Google's quick answer, when searching "When did TikTok get really popular?": "TikTok's global popularity surged in 2020 due to pandemic lockdowns, with consistent growth since 2016, surpassing competitors in downloads by 2018."