What Does CC Mean In TikTok Captions?
Not another confusing abbreviation!
getty images Whether you're an early adopter of TikTok or succumbed to downloading it during quarantine (you're not alone), you've likely come across plenty of slang terms in the videos and comments of TikTok videos that have you scratching your head.
Recently, you may have seen the term "cc" in TikTok captions.
Why are people using it, what does it really stand for, and for others who have no idea what I’m talking about, what’s the big deal about this abbreviation?
Never fear! I did some research and am here to give you the rundown about the confusing term.
What CC Means in TikTok Captions
Simply put, CC stands for closed captioning.
Closed captioning traditionally displays text over videos that describes the sounds in the videos, or the words people say.
Closed captioning is very similar to subtitles; the only difference is that subtitles are used when it is implied that the audience can hear the sound from the video but want to read the sounds for further understanding. Closed captioning is used when it is implied the audience cannot hear the sound from a video.
Why People Add CC in TikTok Captions
Some people on TikTok add closed captioning to their videos where the dialogue and sounds are described in text for the audience. At this time, TikTok does not provide closed captioning for the app, meaning people are going out of their way to type up every sound in their videos for the audience to read.
The main reason for closed captioning in videos is to make them more accessible for everyone. People who have certain disabilities may not be able to hear sounds on TikTok videos, which is where the captions come in.
TikTok has been accused of not being as accessible for people with disabilities, with petitions popping up imploring TikTok to create an option for closed captioning within the app itself, so people do not have to go through the trouble of typing out every sound in their videos.
Until then, TikTok users are choosing to make their videos more inclusive so that everyone can enjoy them.
The controversy of CC on TikTok
There has been some debate on whether or not the letters “CC” need to be in the closed captioning itself. Some people find the letters annoying and think that they make the reading experience awkward. They think it’s obvious that the words are closed captioning and do not see the need “CC” to be spelled out in the text.
However, others continue to add the letters to their captions anyway.
How to Add CCs in TikTok
If you want to add closed captioning to your next TikTok masterpiece, here are the steps:
1. Open TikTok and click the “+” symbol.
2. Record or upload a video.
3. Click on the “Text” button at the bottom of the TikTok screen to add subtitles.
4. Chose your font, style, text alignment, and color.
5. Drag the text where you want it to appear.
6. To determine when the text will appear in the video, click on the text box and hit “ set duration.”
7. Adjust the pink field above the timeline to choose where you want the text to appear in the video.
8. Repeat this process as many times as necessary for all of your desired closed captions.
9. Hit next on the bottom righthand corner of the screen to post your TikTok.
Now you are all set to create your next great and accessible video!
What do you think? Closed captioning or no closed captioning? Should CC be used within the closed captioning itself? So many questions!
Hopefully now when someone asks you what CC in TikTok means, you’ll be able to tell them all about it.
Erin Watson is an editorial intern with a focus on entertainment, relationships, and horoscopes.