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TikTok is both the most passive and engaging of social media apps.

Its intent isn't to activate your mind but to lull you into a hypnotic state where you react -- much like visiting a windowless casino where you compliantly respond to stimuli.

"Look! Flashing lights!" says TikTok as people flick up and down -- much like gamblers at a slot machine.

thestar.com/opinion/contributo…

On TikTok, the user is primarily passive, no longer charting a course by typing inquiries or searching for friends, but merely repeating two gestures: swiping their finger downwards, and tapping a “like” button. The algorithm takes care of the rest, continuously giving the user what they desire. As such, TikTok’s content strays away from text or even images in favour of quick dense video clips. TikTok is the most engaging social media platform, with its active user base of 1.3 billion spending an average of 25.7 hours on the app per week. A recent study published in Addictive Behaviors found that 8.7 per cent of their sample of college students exhibited Problematic TikTok Use (PTTU). For these users, TikTok’s hypnotic interface replicates the effect of a windowless clockless casino; what Natasha Dow Schull in her 2012 book “Addiction By Design” refers to as the “otherworldly zone” where “embodied existence in this material world is exchanged for a timeless flow of repeating moments.”

Breaking free of Tik Tok’s grasp?

Is opting out the only way to regain control? Do the risks of social media addiction extend further than mere self harm?
Toronto Star
This entry was edited (1 year ago)
in reply to Chris Trottier

taxet
taxet
• •

I downloaded the app a long time ago as it was a place where I noticed a lot of memes where coming from, thinking for the longest time that I’m fine, since I don’t really post anything there.

But at some point I noticed it was affecting my mental health. The videos were slowly turning darker, more aggressive, and I was spending hours there just browsing. One day I broke 8 hours of almost constant browsing and snapped out of it. I realized it was all just shit and deleted the app.

in reply to Chris Trottier

elle mundy
elle mundy
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i found it intolerably overstimulating, couldn’t looks at it for more than like 5 minutes, had to uninstall
in reply to Chris Trottier

Jerome (He/Him)
Jerome (He/Him)
• •
TikTok has its faults, but this isn’t any different than what Vine was trying to accomplish or even what most dating apps do today.
in reply to Jerome (He/Him)

Chris Trottier
Chris Trottier
• •

@jeromechoo Correct. You're talking about centralized social media apps that are primarily made by Big Social.

I don't like centralization.

I don't like Big Social.

@Jerome (He/Him)
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