What does PSA mean on TikTok?

Georgina Smith
TikTok logo next to phone keyboard

While scrolling through TikTok videos and comment sections, you may have encountered the term PSA — but what does it actually mean?

Short-form video platform TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms out there right now, and there is a constant stream of new users making accounts to browse content, and make videos of their own to share with friends and followers.

Naturally, people on the app use a range of different slang terms, phrases, and acronyms to make communicating faster or to refer to inside jokes. Many of these words originated elsewhere, but are still hugely prevalent on TikTok.

While scrolling through videos and comment sections on the app you have potentially come across the term ‘PSA’ at some point. But what does this word mean when it’s used on TikTok?

What does PSA mean on TikTok?

PSA usually stands for Public Service Announcement, and in a standard context, it refers to a message that is aired in the interest of the public, usually to raise awareness about a certain issue.

On TikTok and other social media platforms, many people use PSA when wanting to share a piece of information with their followers. For example, one might say: “PSA: don’t drink and drive” or more casually: “PSA: I moved house.”

Sometimes this can be in a more serious context, where creators genuinely want to spread a message or correct a piece of information that’s circulating on the app.

However, it can also be used in a more lighthearted way, such as when a creator wants to reveal a bit of information about themselves or talk about one of their interests.

If there are any other words on TikTok that you don’t know the meaning of, you can check out our guide here to learn all about the platform’s most popular terms.