Chat, is this real?
The comment section on visual social media platforms serves many purposes. They can be a space for:
Praise and love of friends
Honest support
Brutal feedback
Heartfelt gratitude
Humor/jokes
Verification
Further information or explanation on the topic
Sharing relatable experiences
It takes an effort to write a comment — though sometimes, it’s just a matter of spilling your honest thoughts. And that raw authenticity can resonate just as much as the viral post itself. The most engaging and relatable comments naturally rise to the top due to ranking algorithms, ensuring that newcomers see them first However, I once read an article watched a TikTok that showcased it might differ what comment you see as the top comment based on your algorithm and preferred content. But that’s another topic.
Worth the watch?
On TikTok (and also YouTube and Instagram), people often head straight to the comments to verify their own reactions to content. On YouTube, the comment section seems to often help users find like-minded people in a community, or serves as a filter to determine whether a video (such as a specific tutorial) is actually useful.
A common phrase found in comments: “Future me, was this worth it?”. This quick check can help decide whether a two-minute video is *actually* worth watching, especially when captions say things like “Wait for it” or “The end is crazy!” Instead of wasting time, people use comments as a shortcut to gauge a video’s value.
This behavior ties into another habit: unconsciously (?) first checking the number of views, likes, and comments before deciding whether to fully engage in watching the next scroll. These metrics act as an initial verification of a video’s appeal and relatability. Some content creators speculate that visible engagement statistics may eventually disappear. If the algorithm already determines what content we see, why do we need those numbers? Are they just another way to keep us engaged and locked into the app?
A sense of connection
All the various comment section interactions contribute to a bigger purpose: creating a sense of community. You feel validated when you see others sharing your thoughts. Even if the comments come from anonymous or ambiguous accounts, and people that you will know - that shared experience feels real.
You get a sence of connection through the comment section. Someone had the same thought as you (and counting by the 124K likes on that comment, some others as well). There’s something reassuring about realizing others had the same reaction as you. It confirms that you are not (alone) in being mad or mean — others felt the same way. Whether you should voice your critique is of course up for discussion.
TikTok has added a very useful function: making comment-based search queries clickable, allowing users to instantly deep-dive into related content. This expands the conversation beyond the original post and fosters deeper engagement, connecting you to new, extremely specific and tailored content (Google can’t find this, TikTok can).
There is definitely something to say for the negative influences social media has on our digital natives. On the other hand, it has an incredible connecting power. The original content is the conversation starter, which extends to the comment section. Which can welcome you and make you feel at home. It’s not only the creator who ran into the situation portrayed - there are actual other people feeling similar to you. And that is worthy to know.