Long before TikTok became the popular platform it is today, questions were being asked about whether our use of other social media sites (like Twitter) were having a negative effect on our attention spans. But this particular app seems to have had a greater affect than any of its predecessors.
Coming into prominence at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and its resulting lockdowns, TikTok seems to have become an addictive habit that myself and those around me knowingly indulge in, often accidentally spending hours scrolling without realising. Yet, why does it seem like this is the cause of our inability to concentrate for long periods of time, and how plausible is it?
What is TikTok?
For those unaware, the premise of the app is to scroll through short 15-second, 60-second, or three-minute videos made by anyone with the app, on pretty much any topic. They culminate on a ‘for you page’ (fyp) that is endless, unfiltered, and relatable. The nature of the algorithm on the fyp, means the more you watch or interact with videos, the more the app is tailored to your interests, and the more time you are likely to spend on it.
A product of lockdown?
Guardian reporter, Sophie Haigney, describes TikTok as a ‘medium of global lockdowns’ because a large proportion of people – especially young people – found themselves in lockdown with nothing to do, so turned to social media to fill time. At a moment when connecting with others was restricted perhaps more than ever, TikTok provided us with a way to interact with friends or strangers and cope creatively with a difficult situation.
Despite its benefits – such as its surprisingly educational content – TikTok has not come without its problems. My fellow students admit to finding it difficult to concentrate on a film, tv show, university class, or book without picking up their phones as an immediate short-term distraction. Being in the habit of consuming information in three minutes or less, means adjusting back to normal working levels is a challenge.
Can you have too much of a good thing?
As so much content is being produced on TikTok, and made available quite literally at the end of our fingertips, a study by the Technical University of Denmark is a useful point of call. It considers whether having an abundance of information shortens our attention span, stating:
‘The world has become increasingly well connected in the past decades. This means that content is increasing in volume, which exhausts our attention and our urge for ‘newness’ causes us to collectively switch between topics more rapidly.’
When applying this to the TikTok app, it is easy to see how wanting to keep up with constantly changing popular trends results in consuming large volumes of information; sometimes even passively when we think we are relaxing.
Do we need a detox?
In reality, no one wants TikTok to disappear completely, especially after the loss of Vine back in 2017. Maybe what we need is a scientific study into the repercussions of TikTok specifically. Until then, I will certainly be trying to cut down my own screen time. But I can’t say I will stop using it completely.
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