Following ByteDance’s purchase of the popular Musical.ly app in November 2017, the program was rebranded into TikTok, one of the biggest social media platforms currently. TikTok is reminiscent of its old version and Vine, both apps that were well-liked and known for their short videos. To date, the app’s entertaining and appealing content has acquired over 1.5 billion monthly active viewers, with users all over the world spending an average of 52 minutes per day on the app.
Many often report having difficulties focusing on daily activities and stopping the endless cycle of scrolling the “For You” page, TikTok’s personalized feed based on interactions (in the form of likes, comments, and reshares) that determine the user’s preferences for content. In fact, “For You” is created by artificial intelligence, which presents an increasingly accurate algorithm based on recurrent engagement. This pattern is observed in other social media apps, such as Facebook and Instagram, and can lead to severe addiction.
The availability of an infinite scroll increases the app’s addictive quality, as it induces a flow-like state for TikTok users. This high focus on virtual activity leads to a distorted sense of time, meaning the app’s structural aspects contribute to the formation of a habit loop, encouraging the creation of addiction.
According to Dr. Nia Williams – a lecturer and researcher that specializes in children’s and adolescents’ mental health – TikTok’s popularity is rooted in its short and sweet videos that influence one’s attention to go from one video to another. The release of dopamine inspired by the constant scrolling and varied content leads one’s brain to want increasingly more release. She goes on to explain that this is the basis of all sorts of addictions.
A publication of the Brown University School of Public Health expresses that app developers willingly manipulate the app’s users into becoming addicted, despite being aware of the possible negative consequences. The app’s success depends on its ability to maintain users engaged.
Eleonor Crabbe, a Cardiff University student, decided to delete the app altogether as a way to focus more on her exams. She says that she deletes and re-downloads the app repeatedly when she notices she is becoming too addicted. While she tries to get the app to show her funny content, it always returns to fitness and fashion content. This feeds into the increasing discussion over the impact of these social media platforms on individuals’ mental health. While fashion is an area of interest to Crabbe, she reveals that some videos can make her feel pressured to look a certain way.
Dr. Williams argues that studies done on Instagram show how it harms the self-esteem of young girls, as the filtered content might lead them to want to look like a particular person. Catherine Keenan from Newport, on the other hand, has 2.4 million followers on TikTok and believes that students should (instead of deleting it) allow an hour of screen time a day, as the app can be beneficial by giving useful tips. She also believes that social media can have a positive impact on mental health since some content can be stress-relieving for users.
Therefore, while social media can be a powerful tool for interacting with other people and acquiring valuable knowledge that helps with daily tasks, it is necessary for users to realize that the addictive nature of these apps and the pressure to portray oneself in a certain way can be damaging. A balance should always strive and if this can not be done, one should try to experiment with deleting the app for some days and seeing the positive benefits that it might bring them.
Sources:
EAC PRESS 