By: Julia Xia, Staff Writer
In 2019, the lip-syncing app Musical.ly died and was replaced with the app we know and love, TikTok; but is it love we feel, or obsession? When the app first launched, people were captivated by its short format and well-designed algorithm. It was seen as a place for people to express themselves and their opinions while also being entertained during the pandemic. Now, in 2023, the app is still extremely popular with students all over Mills using it all the time, but has this extensive use of the app had a negative impact on students and their overall mental health?
The app is designed to be fast-paced and attention grabbing, causing users to stay on it longer. “Now that I have a lot of free time, I find myself turning to my phone and using TikTok because there just isn’t anything else to do,” a junior with an average of 40 hours a week on the app comments. This student’s struggles are not a unique experience; students all over Mills turn to their phones and Tik Tok as a way to pass the time. When they go home, it’s easier to relax with fun videos rather than immediately do homework. Students are always on their phones between classes, during lunch and recess, and even during their classes.
The excessive time spent on the app can cause a plethora of problems in students. Many studies have shown that using TikTok for multiple hours straight caused students and users in general to have shorter attention spans and just have trouble focusing all together. Students who use the app a lot commented on how that because they used the app so much they now have trouble staying engaged in school.
So what is so appealing about the app? The app’s algorithm is one of the reasons for the app’s popularity. One thing many people are quick to point out is that Tiktok’s algorithm is very good at showing users what they want to see; it is always updating based on user data and, because of this, every for-you page is perfectly catered to the enjoyer. “Quote about the algorithm”. Many users are also drawn to the app because of the versatility it offers. From simple dancing videos to small businesses, so many different categories of content are being promoted to viewers. Any interest a user could conceivably have is most likely a subcategory on the app. It’s this diversity that gets people to stay on it for long periods of time.
Not only are there millions of different types of content, but the rate at which the content is shown is also considerably faster than competing apps such as YouTube. TikTok is known for its short format; the vast majority of videos being no longer than three minutes. The short length makes it easier for people to get carried away and end up watching for hours. It’s hard to notice how much time is going by when you’re only watching minute long videos.
TikTok is not without its detractors. One big criticism is that, as stated before, the app’s short format often causes people to lose track of time; and on top of that, consuming only short videos for a long period of time can easily cause people’s attention spans to shorten. In other words, when students get used to receiving a lot of information in only a couple of seconds during school, it becomes much harder for them to then focus on something for a longer period of time. This is bad because with most classes being an hour and thirty minutes, students are finding it more and more difficult to pay attention.
In addition, much like other social media apps, Tiktok also contributes to increased levels of insecurity in teens. The most popular users on TikTok are teenagers, usually 14-19 years old. This also happens to be the time when young people are most impressionable. Many videos on the app are “get ready with me”s or thirst traps. Seeing people online have such interesting lives and movie star looks can oftentimes have a negative impact on young impressional students since they watch these videos and measure themselves and their lives against them, and more often than not, decide that their lives, looks, or relationships are lacking in some way.
However, TikTok isn’t the only app that has this impact on students, but with its increasing popularity, more and more kids are being affected by it at faster rates. Many users turn to it for comfort or just as a way to keep up with current events, so expecting students to delete it all together is unrealistic. Instead, putting a time limit or simply finding other ways to be entertained are ways to help limit the use of TikTok.
