Host Erica Vella speaks to Bev Standing and Kat Callaghan about TikTok's text-to-speech feature. They discuss the adoption and evolution of the feature, its impact on TikTok videos, and the success it brought to the guests in terms of voice work and interviews. The chapter also touches upon privacy concerns and the importance of contracts in protecting voices on TikTok.
TikTok's text-to-speech feature promotes inclusivity by providing a universalizing experience for users of different backgrounds and demographics.
The incidents involving unauthorized use of voiceover artists' voices in TikTok's text-to-speech feature emphasize the importance of contracts and control over the use of voices in such platforms.
Deep dives
TikTok's Rise as a Social Media Platform
TikTok quickly became one of the most popular social media platforms, drawing in millions of users worldwide. Its addictive user experience, characterized by an infinite scroll of videos personalized by the algorithm, contributed to its immense popularity. Unlike other social networking apps, TikTok's focus on creating and sharing content, rather than connecting with friends, appealed to younger users. The COVID-19 pandemic further fueled its growth as people sought entertainment and connection during lockdowns, leading to a surge in TikTok usage.
The Unique Features of TikTok
TikTok stands out from other apps through its algorithm-driven user experience, where videos continuously play in an infinite scroll. A notable feature is the text-to-speech (TTS) voice, which allows users to convert their text into a computerized voice accompanied by on-screen captions. What initially seemed like a simple feature gained widespread popularity as it provided a universalizing experience by making vastly different voices sound the same. Users from various demographics and backgrounds could use the TTS tool, promoting inclusivity and removing biases based on gender, race, or ethnicity.
The Voiceover Artists' Experience with TikTok's Text-to-Speech
Voiceover artists Bev Standing and Kat Callahan found their voices used in TikTok's text-to-speech feature without their consent. Bev, who had recorded voice samples for a translation app, discovered her voice being used on TikTok. She pursued legal action, ultimately settling the lawsuit and having her voice removed. Kat, a radio host and voiceover artist, became the voice known as Jesse on TikTok. Kat initially kept her identity hidden but later revealed herself. She experienced both backlash and support, with her TikTok videos going viral and opening doors to new opportunities. The incidents highlight the importance of voice actors having contracts and control over the use of their voices.
TikTok is one of the most popular social media applications with more than 1 billion users around the world.
On this episode of What happened to…? Erica Vella speaks to Bev Standing, the original voice behind TikTok’s text-to-speech feature. She also speaks with Kat Callaghan, the woman behind TikTok’s current text-to-speech character “Jessie.” She learns about the adoption and evolution of the feature, and how it changed the way users create and interpret TikTok videos.