There is a new class war on the internet. It is all about content, creativity and clicks. But in this battle between TikTok and YouTube, it all boils down to one question–who owns the bottom of the pyramid?
I wasn’t aware of the YouTube vs TikTok battle until I noticed that hashtag #CarryMinati was trending on Twitter. For the uninitiated, CarryMinati is a millennial comic-roast with more than 16 million subscribers on YouTube.
End Game’s on
As I dug deeper, I came across a video of him titled TikTok vs YouTube-The End Game on YouTube. The likes and views on the video were increasing exponentially so I decided to watch it (which I immediately regretted). The video, which had over 78 million views, has now been taken down but it gave me a glimpse of the ongoing rivalry between the content creators of two of the most popular online platforms.
The people who inhabit the two universes are very different. The inhabitants of Google-owned YouTube and China’s ByteDance-owned TikTok aren’t just waging a war for increasing follower count. The battle is also to decide the type of people who have the right to rule the video world.
It all began when YouTuber Elvish Yadav posted a roast of TikTokers on his YouTube channel, comparing young video-makers to rag pickers, questioning their intelligence and making fun of girls wearing make-up. In response, two TikTokers named Amir Siddiqui and Revolver Rani called out his derogatory and classist comments TikTok and Instagram.
Revolver Rani’s response triggered a carpet video bombing that saw supporters from both the communities trying to outdo each other. The online battle reached its pinnacle when CarryMinati decided to make another roast of TikTokers.
“Mithai ki dukaan pe 200 mein bik jaaoge” (you’ll be sold at a sweet shops for Rs 200); “Shakalaka Boom Boom ki pencil ki tarah dikhte ho” (you look like a Shakalaka Boom Boom pencil): this is how CarryMinati described TikTokers. TikTokers too accused YouTubers of stealing their content.
Also read: I accidentally went viral on TikTok. I learned we failed our youngest generation
For virtual dominance
YouTubers who roast TikTok content creators often call its videos cringeworthy. They mock their appearances and use homophobic slurs for TikTokers who often cross-dress. CarryMinati in his recent video used words like ‘Meetha’ and ‘Pari’, which are often used to refer to the people from transgender community. That’s not all. Some also refer TikTokers as ‘Shudras of the internet’ with the popular perception being that they are mostly lower-class, low-caste individuals in low profile jobs who make videos for ‘time-pass’.
This only reflects the insecurities of YouTubers who are now perturbed by the sharp rise in popularity and fame of TikTok content and its creators from small towns and rural areas.
The Chinese video-making app is immensely popular, especially among the teenagers, and has provided a platform to many for expressing their creativity. From a rural housemanager to a brick-maker to a street vendor, anyone can become viral and famous overnight. These influencers from small towns and villages, with their newfound voice on TikTok, are finally in the category of content creators and telling their stories.
In fact, the TikTok vs YouTube war is looking like a microcosm of the larger political story raging across India–between raw aspiration and entrenched entitlement.
Also read: TikTok to PUBG, Indian users in Chinese grip: free apps come with data privacy concerns
Being homophobic is not funny
CarryMinati, in his attempt to come out as politically correct and may be ensure that his content is not red-flagged by YouTube as inappropriate often mentions in his videos that its ‘all for laughs’. But with millions of followers, one is ought to be responsible.
His latest video was filled with abuses and comments mocking the TikTok community. And for this, he got applaud and support from star YouTubers like Ashish Chanchlani and Bhuvan Bam.
In the name of humor or roast, one cannot joke about people’s appearances and their social status. The urban elites had already taken over Instagram and YouTube. TikTok gave a new platform to those who did not care if their grammar was correct. No need for monologues, eye-catching shoot locations or cameo appearances of celebrities. One doesn’t even need fancy cameras or editing software to showcase their talent.
Also read: India’s TikTok craze is creating celebrities but also ruining lives
TikTok breaking the monopoly
TikTok gives the freedom to express creativity to people from all the sections of the society, irrespective of gender, class, caste or sexuality. Despite moderation by TikTok and attempts to ban pro-LGBTQ content, the app has become a platform for the people of the community to engage among themselves and express. It is time to acknowledge that no one can have a monopoly over content creation and freedom of expression.
YouTube taking down his content hasn’t deterred CarryMinati a bit. In fact he is reading it as a success. In his Instagram post the YouTuber said how the video was going to break all global records (apparently it was the first non-musical video to get over 70 million views in a limited time). So he must be disappointed.
You can choose to be on either side. Or as Internet’s favorite Nazma Aapi (Saloni Gaur) says, “Hum to creativity ki side hain” (we favour creativity). Or you can choose to be not bothered by a bunch of 20 year-olds busy fighting with each other, virtually over ‘content-creation’ while the world is burning.
Vieews are personal.
This reporter has communist glasses on, so everything she sees is between the havs & have nots. A siple roasting clash over internet becomes class struggle to her. Hope she learns to see things as they really are and perform some “Unnati” in her life.
I don’t even care who roasted to whom and why. But the thing is i have seen many videos in tiktok which i personally don’t think are good enough. We should watch what we are letting our kids to watch and learn. Rape scene or love affairs or acid attacks. You haven’t even mentioned about this on tik tok. Is this what you call platform for fun. Already there are so many rape cases in India. And you are provoking people to do it more through this platform. I seriously feel pathetic reading your point of view.
exponentially so I decided to watch it (which I immediately regretted).
Like your above sentence I regretted after reading this, for wasting my time.
I think the author of this report is a tik toker. You are blaming Carryminati for being irresponsible. I do understand that his use of derogatory is not the right way to Convey a message. But what about tik tokers posting shitty content in tik tok. In one video, you can see two boys throwing a dog after tying its legs together. Isn’t it kind of promoting violence against animals??? Another video shows minor children of age 12-13 romancing like bollywood movie couples. At an age when children should be playing hide and seek, they are shown as romancing like adults?.Now the acid attack video. Tik tok is mostly used by teenagers. The videos posted have a very huge impact on our future generation. There are good videos and it is a platform to showcase talent. But now, the whole purpose of the app is lost due to some of the tik tok users. Now it is proving to be a bad influence among children and a total waste of time. Also there have been claims that tiktok videos are promoting pornography, violence etc etc. Which you didn’t cover in your article. Don’t even think that people are jealous because tiktokers are really trending today. As you have mentioned in your article, any one can create a tik tok video and become an overnight success. But then, the wise people stay away from such platforms because they know it has no point. Again there are some good content creators, good actors, content etc. In tik tok.
Before writing any article, you should do good research because any one reading your article can easily understand that either you are biased or you have have no idea what tik tok really is.
Nice information ✍️
tik tok
If you post biased articles like this. Days are not far #bantheprint and be less biased.
Lgta likhna wale b tiktok bnata h .
Pehne le slwar lga lipstick aur nach .
Maderchod naach.
I never expected print to be one of those click bait news vendors who will take anything and everything out of context. Just disappointed. .
Very disappointed with your article.
Looks like you are one of those tictokers.
Full support for Carry. That boy has given good reasons in a comic sense that makes lot of good and correct points. You should know why people are supporting Carry.
What do you Wana prove by this article?
Is tiktok content not at all cringe?
Are they not doing mittha type video?
If a boys wearing girls costume of girls and behaves like a girl and stills have a beard in the face then it’s not called art or talent.
Just you posted a rubbish article in favor of tiktok and which talent or content are you taking about in tiktok.. sleeping in mud, boys with beard wearing saree and doing mujra is a talent or splashing egg in your own head is a content?
You only told about YouTubers used this word that word but you didn’t mentioned your tiktokers abusing back with lots rubbish word.
Will you comment on Ashish Chanchalani videos where he dresses up as a girl,don’t be a hypocrite,criticise both the apps,I hate Tiktok but that doesn’t mean that youtubers are not cringe
Kitne paise mile tiktok se, as usual anti india narrative and classism no one every made any classist slur. It was just a reply to Amir Siddiqui and the likes who feel they can get away with anything by doing wrong things. Justifying rape, acid attacks n other bad stuff being promoted wheres the coverage on that ? Ur opinion is far from reality and whole india knows who is right and who is wrong so take a chill pill n stop dragging caste and class into anything and everything.
Well unnati.. your research couldn’t have been worse than this. After reading this article I thought of checking the facts. It seems like you are confusing Elvish Yadav’s views with carry’s. Elvish’s video did had some hate comments on class and status of people ( still it has been unblocked by YouTube) on the other hand carry’s video was specifically for Amir Siddiqui (discussions for the same were already around) the comments you tagged “Rs200 and shakalaka boom boom” were specifically meant for him.
You should have checked Amir’s video to clear the facts..Also many trending videos on tiktok involves slapping or insulting girls, which you obviously missed. And you said “MONOPOLY on YouTube” like seriously!!!..LMAO
Seems like this post didn’t went through the editor before being posted.
Brillant. Thank you. At least, this platform or article doesn’t have biased views against the so-called overnight-genius video that is nothing but homophobic abuse-hurling video. Your article has given justice to both side. It is sad to see the majority of the people don’t see the negativity it spread out during such time. TikTok was actually giving a hope to the crossdressers and LGBTQIA commuity. Agreed the content is not that great, but it is not supposed to be. It in herently only promotes acting of sorts, hence the small timing frame videos. And if anybody had a problem with crossdressers, man you should have simply uninstalled it. Why should others suffer from it?! The platform actually helped those who haven’t yet got a chance. And now just because of this video, congratulations, the HATRED IS BACK! People are back to push them and call them names. It is not done.
So, really thank you for this article. Don’t be ever pressurised by these blind followers, hate spreaders and homophobes, who just want you to agree with them. And goes to an extent to prove their point. Their stubborn attitude and mentality is just an example of whom they have chosen to follow. And ironically they say it is a free country to roast but they have a very low threshold to accept the truth or for a matter of fact, accept change.
Thank you for understanding normalcy and rather than shitting like any other … U supported the real.work …
Totally sh*t article. And there is definitely a sh*ty author behind this who didn’t complete his homework on the topic. THE PRINT today lost its value.
tik tok ban hona chahy
tik tok ban hona chahi
I support CARRYMINATI because he just gave reply to those who tagged him to answer, and more over he is a roaster roasting is his profession he had not done anything wrong .I prefer him to make videos on such MEETHAAS who started first and now blaming CARRY for using inappropriate words .Carry is right “vo meethai ki dukan pe 200 me hi beekenge.”
I don’t agree with the person writing this post..
It’s highly Biased article…
whatever you are saying with “youtubers” applies to “ticktokers” also..
FROM last few years we are looking at digital platforms being changed and it will happen again there is no way there will be MONOPOLY of any of the platform as you were saying…
And you said that few people are being Homophobic and all…. Why do you want to think about it when you are watching HUMOR
If you think like that then Tarak Mehta show SHOULD BE HIGHLY RACIST
Kapil Sharma show SHOULD BE BANNED FOR BODY SHAMING
AND list goes on..
Now seriously ! You made it a caste & class divide.
Yeah what we can expect from a pro left media organization. Say hi to comrade Shekar
& We also know that all youtube users are worth of billions of dollars ?
And one thing on serious note !
Just open tiktok app and see what content is trending. They all rich faggots showing there filthy wealth and new glittery dresses
Tell me. Where were People like you when YouTube creator with over 50M subscriber diss, roast Indian. What you did at that time. Don’t create the communal disturbances. Check the Twitter, what your so called influencer promoting. Your are not even Indian. Born in the country give you nationality but thinking first for country give you tag as true nationalist. I am also from minority community. So don’t teach us. Keep your knowledge to your self. So called writter.
I support carry
Some people told me that the print media is biased and guess what they were right.. You guys don’t do any research and jump into any conclusion.. I support carryminati not because I ‘m his fan it’s because this time he is right.. It just he is a soft target that doesnt mean he is wrong.. Some community people are targeting him even this time youtube is being biased and playing politically. Don’t you dare to defame a good content creator because we the carry fan will always by his side..
Tiktok is bad. Uninstall.
Tiktok is bad. Uninstall.
Don’t misuse the media I saw what he said. After lockdown I will ask Supreme Court to take strict action against people you who mislead the audience. I will see you in the court. Don’t go out of context.
Some people had told me that this print media is biased, they dont research and jump on any conclusion and guess what they were right.I support carry not because i am his fan it’s just because we know what politics youtube is playing. Youtube has become biased platform. Don’t you dare to think that you can defame a good youtuber by your article because we support him.
Mere bhai I know you get funding from China and your editor is face of very loyal urban naxali.
It’s just your pain and we can understand it
Trust me a burnol of made in China can give you some relief
Plse use it and plse put your foot in your silly mouth
Literate idiot
Gadha
Why u only tell it by the point of view of tik tok users.
A journalist have to give both sides point of view without being biased and let the people decide.
Same on your journalism.
Twisting the news and facts, The Print way!
Well, it seems the writer of this article hasn’t seen or heard any Western roasting whilst writing this. The roasting culture is so much intense there, than what it is here. It’s alright for PewDiePie to call T-gay or abuse Indians because that’s in English and we’ve complete different outlook towards it. But a word like “Meetha” (Carry didn’t even say it, he said “Meethai ki dukan” you dumbass), even after being in several of Cadbury’s advertisements, is slang. Well, if a person wants to imagine, he can imagine anything and can derive any context, then what’s the point of doing anything in life actually? Why don’t we all become Robots then? Only one thing you know as human, for sure- the difference between what’s Right and what’s not. And in my opinion, even if he used Cuss words, Carryminati used them to motivate the idle, stagnant & unemployed people & make them understand the need for awakening their brains, who only think that wasting time and earning followers, likes on tiktok is only motive of their life. He gave a social msg how important it is to be productive in life. So yeah, even if he used cuss words, Carryminati has my support, since his motive was in good faith of development of nation.
My personal opinion: This Article Writer doesn’t seem to be in his SENSES or he has received Tiktok’s commission. Thanksyou
Print u don’t know anything
I’m dalit don’t drag ur politics here
We support carryminati
“The Chinese video-making app is immensely popular, especially among the teenagers, and has provided a platform to many for expressing their creativity”. Creativity? Hahahaha
Social media as a whole is cancer and Tiktok is one of its hotspots. Although it is not the absolute worst platform that exists right now (that is Facebook/WhatsApp which has the potential to decide elections and mobilize lynchings among other things) but in terms of dumbing down the human species as a whole to a point where they will start walking on four limbs and living on trees once again, Tiktok is surely doing some stellar work.
Moreover, to use the words ‘content’ and ‘Tiktok’ in the same sentence should be punishable by imprisonment. Also, that platform is heavily inhabited by the ‘bobs/vagene’ gang which has been a source of continued international shame for our country as it is. YouTubers are no saints themselves and some absolutely vile people inhabit that world as well, but to be successful there, you need brains and to be skilled at something. Tiktok on the other hand is just leading the process of devolving our species.
Are you crazy? This article sucks!!!! Why are you supporting that insane app which is supporting rapes, abuse, violence etc… Have you ever seen that idiotic cringy material on tiktok… If someone is raising their voice against that shitty material then what’s wrong in this? And you’re also supporting that stupid Chinese app…… Very disappointing….. Think twice before you write something….
This is so biased. That’s two minutes of my life that I will never get back.
What is this newspaper?! Kind of amazing how you guys turned a conflict between two video sharing platform into LGBTQ+ hatred.
Fuck, just leave LGBTQ+ alone, we don’t need you to defend us, you’re just making us look pathetic and defenseless. YOU are the problem in here, especially since Youtube isn’t banning LGBTQ+ content when Tiktok is doing it, but you focused on a single statement from a single Youtuber.
ThePrint, you don’t need people like UNNATI SHARMA to weight down this newspaper. This is unacceptable and insulting to everyone, including you.
People who says tiktok changes gender maybe they already used tiktok and turned their genders into female ?. Have you studied in science books that Apps can change genders??? Stupid. And there are many other video platform Apps but people only targeting Tiktok because Tiktok is more popular. Tiktok isn’t all about lip syncing or copying others . Tiktok is also a popular platform where creators entertains viewers. There are many talented creators who posts original contents. Tiktok App is from China and YouTube is from America and out here Some Indians defaming and roasting their own people, it’s a shame. Respect each other. No one is perfect and can judge one another but only God can.
So this is how you perceive things when you graduate from Moscow University.
Dear Unnati Sharma it is you who is trying to bring LGBT community into this .
I thought theprint doesn’t covers those nonsense news, well you have to when you have writers like Unnati Sharma.
I hope you are aware that your opinion was not at all wanted at this time. Because you are doing nothing but printing stuff just to get readers on website. I thought the Print is finally a good print house in India. But you are no different and there wasn’t any need to link politics to that, not even metaphorically.
All the roast videos only focused on people who cross-dress just to get views. Nobody targeted LGBTQ community or anyone other specifically. I hate to say as usual ThePrint is trying to generate a new angle just to make the story crisp. Shame on this act @ThePrint. Carryminati in his roast only targeted Amir Siddique just because he tagged him and asked for response on his Instagram handle. There was no scope for other communities to indulge while the matter was just part of two individuals. Things started burning when some people like ThePrint sided this as Women Impowerment and Against LGBTQ act.
Things reached its peak when Youtube removed the video just upon reports by liberals. And rest will be written as history as its now a new internet clash. I support Creativity and Originality over any Individual Creator. Just the bottomline in internet era if you like content consume it, if you dont like then just ignore it.
Exactly dude
Exactly
We support carry .
Simply say that you don’t want tik tok to get banned and if you think that these meethae persons are creating good content then let your childrens watch it and the think about it again
This is good read. Thanks for the article.
Also to highlight currently there are lot of celebrities jumping into TikTok, pretty sure political groups to will come into this medium.
One more point to highlight this app is heavily used by younger generation (2k kids) and this has intimidated the so called 90s kids who are not willing to leave teenage space in 2020.
I have no idea what this “creativity” is from Tiktok. Most of it is copied or stolen content, with copyrighted music being played without even acknowledgement to the real creators of songs or videos.
Most people I see in Tiktok are people with large egos and women who think they are models, or otherwise lip sing a song. Imitation IS NOT A TALENT, nor is it in any way creative.
Other content in TikTok should be considered as abuse. Bring an ass towards strangers, trying to cut videos short to make other people sound pathetic in their arguements via skipping all of the actual arguements is also not creative. And most certainly life-hacks. Adults should be smart enough to realise 99% are phoney, but time and time again we root out the true idiots in society who try them out themselves and risk all kinds of harm, or too young to know the dangers or have know science nor physics knowledge (electrocution, fire hazard, poisoning such as the home made boiler, bodily harm or endangerment).
There seems to be the idea that everyday things that everyone does is “unique”.
Just viewing the videos in TikTok and you will most certainly gain a few extra chromosomes, as well as realise how low the IQ of the general public is.
Has tiktok given u money to write this? First do full research Nd then write articles. Being a journalist u should have done Ur research on the border line abusive,sexist,Nd raciest video that r posted on tiktok.
Is that article China finance by China as it seems that Unnati is somewhere trying to make YouTube is for rich while Tiktok is for poor but most of famous YouTubers are from poor family, it looks like now Indian left will stand with Tiktok and again with its own hypocrisy and no logic and facts
TikTok is indeed cringeworthy. Guys and girls creating “content” on TikTok indeed suffer from a severe acute deficiency of intelligence. One might even classify this as a pathological condition.
Such shitty content by print , i think print need to have better writers growing discontent and devise is unethical writing.
It looks like the lockdown has really constrained actual news reporting.
Who cares about these idiots anyway ?
I think the writer of the article lives in a fairy tale world and hell bent upon proving that talent exists in the tiktok world. Please i request you to spend a day on tiktok iam sure your IQ level will come down exponentially. Iam sorry There is no raw talent on tiktok ( only gender change and costume change) .
Maybe tiktok paid you to write this article. Carryminati has been making such videos from really long time never such comments came along. Let me remind you that most of tiktok videos so called CONTENT is about ” Male slaps the female for silly reasons” . Is that ok ? If such a video was made on youtube I promise there will more outrage than any other platform. Viewers in youtube are educated class who understands what is right and what isn’t. So stop writing such baseless articles. I guess print has a reputation to protect. Since you guys are also on youtube. Maybe try it out on tiktok.
Dear Author,
Why is this trending as top stories?
ThePrint is supposed to be better from the rest of the newsmedia outlets in India. Very dissapointed that you have decided to join the same trend.