While for some it's a joyous occasion that TikTok has been banned in India under the Information Technology Act, for others it's a day of mourning. The short-video making app was widely recognised as a platform for people belonging to the lower economic strata who dreamed of making it big.
Celebrating those people, a few old videos which once went viral have started trending on social media. While some of them are amusing, others were made by migrants who were travelling back to their homes after the lockdown was announced. The videos seem to really have captured the good times and the bad times of the lives of people in India.
The Viral Goatherd
A video of a man walking in green pastures while rearing his colourful goats went viral on Twitter with 62,000 views. With a melodious song playing in background, the man can be seen mumbling the words of the song from a popular Bollywood movie 'Hum Apke Hain Kon' which says, "I am taking them to my town". What the Twitterati fell for is the smile at the end of the song.
My all time favourite TikTok pic.twitter.com/dciwfvVB6q
— indu harikumar (@induviduality) June 30, 2020
Romance in Pain
This video of a couple walking back home during the migrant labour crisis in India lightened the mood during the pandemic. The duo can be seen walking on a highway carrying their belongings on their heads. The husband makes a TikTok video with a popular song playing in background. The track is from the comedy Bollywood movie Hero Number One. It says, "I eloped with you from your house due to the fear of your dad."
Singing, dancing in journey back home after sudden lockdown, only on tiktok pic.twitter.com/h2h6mYZclh
— Anumeha (@anumayhem) June 30, 2020
Singing Way Back Home
Another TikTok clip conveys the happiness of a migrant duo who got a ride back home. They end up making a TikTok video while sitting in the back of truck. "I have found the way, will reach the destination soon," the song says. The video garnered 1,500 views after resurfacing on Twitter. In the caption, the duo thanked the "TikTok family" who helped them to secure a ride back home.
poetry, song in journey back home during lockdown, only on tiktok pic.twitter.com/dPUzbwuehs
— Anumeha (@anumayhem) June 30, 2020
When a Tribal Couple Made TikTok
This Adivasi (tribal) community in the countryside is deprived of continuous electricity and water supply. When a TikTok video made by an Adivasi couple surfaced on the internet, it was a treat for viewers. The couple can be seen dancing to a popular Bollywood romantic song.
My favorite pic.twitter.com/l3LrxfjdSw
— Unna (@_Unna__) June 30, 2020
A Dig at Employment Crisis
A group of migrant labourers got together to make a TikTok video while walking way back home during the lockdown when they lost their source of income. The song that they can be seen dancing to talks about the aspirations that a person fulfils upon getting a job. The video garnered 1.5K views and prompted people to take jibes at prime minister Narendra Modi.
And this the best response to national “jobs crisis”.
— Anumeha (@anumayhem) June 30, 2020
Q: What will change after you find a job?
A(in dance): I will be a slave, I will put up with tantrums, what else? pic.twitter.com/i7Qzmy6AGK
TikTok in India was known for its wider reach across all sections of the society. However, the government raised privacy concern over the app. Earlier, several India states attempted to ban the Chinese app for "vulgar content" but this was later revoked.
Stating that app is in the process of complying with the Indian government's ban order, TikTok India clarified on Tuesday that the app continues to comply with all security and data privacy requirements as per Indian law and that it has never shared any user information with a foreign government, including the Chinese government.
