What is special about TikTok?

I have never used TikTok. Why is this so important to people? These social media platforms are generally short lived in their popularity.
Surely other platforms offer similar features?

Tiktok is unique in that you can make a raw video and upload it immediately for everyone to see. Some folks upload dances they invented for others to copy.

I’ve found TikTok feels different mostly because its algorithm figures out what you like really fast, so you end up in these oddly specific content loops that keep you hooked. Short videos make it easy to scroll without thinking. People who want a little jumpstart on visibility sometimes use something like Famoid, but plenty of folks just post casually and let the algorithm do its thing.