A flight attendant. This photo is not directly related to the article. [123RF]
A flight attendant. This photo is not directly related to the article. [123RF]

Content in which people publicly disclose their debt and document the journey to paying it off is gaining popularity in the United States. While confronting one's own debt is painful, watching someone else work through the same struggle can be oddly compelling.

According to the Wall Street Journal, a trend known as "DebtTok" has been spreading on TikTok, with users revealing the exact amount of their debt and chronicling their repayment progress. Viewers follow along as the numbers rise and fall, cheering on the creators or offering advice along the way.

Rodney Morgan, 33, a flight attendant, first disclosed on TikTok in July that he owed $40,058.44. Morgan, who lives in Los Angeles, posted the video with his head in one hand, writing that he was "starting over as a flight attendant" and wanted to be honest about where he was beginning.

It was an unusual departure for Morgan, who had mostly shared content about his life as a flight attendant. While his previous popular videos had drawn around 100,000 views, the debt confession racked up 1.5 million views.

More than 28,000 debt-related videos were posted on TikTok in the 12 months through September last year, according to social video analytics firm Tubular Labs.

The format is simple: creators reveal exactly how much they owe, then share updates as they chip away at the balance — or watch it climb again after an unexpected expense. TikTok users follow the ups and downs, leaving words of encouragement or financial tips.

Tiana Carter, 31, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, tracks her debt every night. Carter, who works as a human resources director for a public school district, initially held back the exact figure but later disclosed that she owed $54,057.93.

"People are able to understand my numbers better and relate to them," Carter said. She uses income from her social media content to cover childcare costs and pay down her debt.

Part of what makes this content so popular is that debt — a topic most people find difficult to discuss openly — is front and center. Brooke Erin Duffy, a professor at Cornell University, said viewers are drawn to such content because it lets them examine other people's financial choices and compare them with their own situations.

Particularly appealing is the fact that the stories come from people living through money problems themselves, not from experts dispensing advice. Brittney Castro, a certified financial planner at mobile banking app Chime, said viewers experience the content like "a hero's journey drama — as if they're watching a movie about someone overcoming a great obstacle."

The content can also translate into real income. TikTok pays some creators of popular videos, and viewers can send virtual gifts during live streams. Creators can also earn through brand sponsorships and product sales via shared links.

After Morgan's video went viral, a personal finance app company offered him the largest brand deal of his social media career. He plans to use the sponsorship money to pay off the roughly $800 remaining on Home Depot and Lowe's credit cards he opened while remodeling his home.

Kayla Rose, 29, a full-time influencer in Palm Beach, Florida, revealed in March that she carried more than $25,000 in credit card debt. She attracted a wave of new followers and ultimately paid off the balance in August. "The reason I was able to pay off my credit card debt is because of these little videos you're watching right now," she told her followers.


bbo@heraldcorp.com