Religious content is booming on the social media app, TikTok, where videos with faith hashtags have been viewed more than 1.2 trillion times, according to the Economist magazine and it says many of the effects are negative.

“FaithTok”, as some call the phenomenon, is changing religiosity in notable ways, the article claims, reducing ideas to 30-second clips that erode the “habits and virtues” of traditional “faith journeys”.

Conversions are occurring differently, especially among young people, who are often attracted not to established churches but to online ministries. They prefer unedited clips to polished productions, while influencers are lauded for their charisma rather than their credentials.

One of TikTok’s biggest effects on faith is sowing division, according to The Economist. As ever more voices proclaim authority, people’s belief systems have splintered and worshippers are leaving traditional institutions to follow new religions.

Influencers’ ministries are often “non-denominational”, espousing views separate from any established sect. On the outer fringes of FaithTok people are defecting to “new age” spirituality. #Wicca (paganism) and #Witchcraft each have billions of views on the platform, as youngsters extol crystals, potions and spells.