TikTok - The Virtual World of Witchcraft

Not just for teens, the rapidly growing social media Network TikTok has taken the world by storm. The social video platform that was 2019s' third-most downloaded non-gaming app after WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger currently has 800 million active users.

Isolation has got us sitting for hours, fascinated by toxic cringe videos of girls slating their ex-boyfriends and laughing at comedic one-liner lip sync videos from our favourite TV show Gavin and Stacey. The usual content you would expect for the younger generation, but one community that has surprisingly taken centre stage on the app is witchcraft. 

Hashtags allow you to find your community, but the algorithm of TikTok’s For You page works to introduce you to new content creators that embrace new ways of thinking. The #WitchesofTikTok provides you with all kinds of fascinating content; tarot card readings, a how-to on seeing your aura, and even how to perform an exorcist. Spooky right!? With 43.9 million views, it sure has got us all enchanted. 

Selby, who has 283,000 TikTok followers, explains how unlike other platforms such as Instagram, TikTok can be much more accessible and open-minded, “On TikTok, it’s quick tips and things that anyone can do. It also humanises witches. There is a lot of negative stigma surrounding witchcraft and witches, but with TikTok, I can show the more personal side of myself, like being a mother.” It’s not just about what you know and love; TikTok helps you discover hobbies you wouldn’t usually delve into. 

Of course, nothing comes easy, and with praise always comes the backlash. Posting witchcraft content on TikTok has lead to trolling in the masses, “It was incredible the level of hatred I got from it. Instead of, ‘Oh, I‘m just going to scroll past,’ it was ‘I‘m going to call full out war.’” Explains Lola Miles, who has 50,000 followers and 20 years of witchcraft experience. Many Christians actively condemn any form of magic as satanic, holding that it opens the way for demonic possession. The rule of three comes from Wicca and is the idea that any energy you put out will return to you threefold, including negative energy. For Wiccans, this is why curses and “black magic” are generally avoided. 

While TikTok is a brilliant way of connecting with witches alike to share a love for magic, a new hashtag has formed called #babywitches, where users who are more experienced give quick tips on how to become part of the community.

At one point, being a witch was terrifying, so why has the younger generation became so charmed by it? The values of inclusivity and togetherness espoused that make up a huge part of witchcraft are why the community has gained popularity. Lola Miles explains, “Millennials and Gen Zers, a lot of people think that they only think about themselves, "it's not about being shallow, but wanting to feel part of something much bigger. Lola continues, “If you stop looking at the negative stuff that the media reports, people want to be part of a community, and they want to be a good contributor to a community.”

There is something mesmerising about how witchcraft can help you gain control over your life and destiny. Tarot cards help place focus on your path in life while getting in touch with your aura means focusing on your body. So next time you’re endlessly scrolling through TikTok, don’t skip the witch tutorials.

Don’t worry, no hat or broomstick is needed (unless you want to wear one, of course!).