Too Attached to an App?

8/10/2020

by David Hagenbuch, founder of Mindful Marketing & author of Honorable Influence

Of all the dangers facing the United States—natural disasters, terrorism, racism, a global pandemic—who would have thought a social media app would be mentioned among them? China's TikTok has aroused the ire of the Trump administration because of its apparent threat to national security, but is addiction to the app an even greater cause for concern?

For the past year or more, TikTok has been on my radar screen, mainly because I try to keep tabs on what’s trending with the Gen Zs I aim to engage. Last fall, the topic of the hugely popular social media app came up in one of my marketing classes, which inspired me to ask the question: “Should I be on TikTok?” Several students immediately yelled “Yes!” while a seemingly equal number shouted “No!” I wondered if either group had my best interest at heart.

Still not a user, the app gained more of my attention throughout the spring as several of its most popular videos made their way into mainstream media and marketers began talking of TikTok strategies. Meanwhile, accusations of Chinese spying surfaced, and at least one U.S. firm asked its employees to remove TikTok from company mobile devices.

President Trump then threatened to ban TikTok, only to reverse course a few days later when global tech icon Microsoft indicated interest in buying the meteoric app. Most recently, the President signed an executive order that will result in barring TikTok from the U.S. market unless an American company buys the app, which has led parent company ByteDance Ltd. to sue the administration.

Each of these intriguing developments has kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next, but no news sparked my interest as much as a blurb in an August 4th email blast from marketing tech guru Shelly Palmer, who stated that “TikTok is already near (or at) the top of the list of the most addictive [emphasis added] social media apps.”

Surveillance by a foreign state has seemed like TikTok’s biggest threat, but is Americans’ addiction to the app an even greater concern?

To answer this question, it’s essential to understand exactly what TikTok is, as well as what it’s so rapidly achieved—some of us above a certain age may need a primer. Steve Wright of Learn Online Video offers a nice overview of the app. He shares a few of its endless stream of 15-second videos, in which their usually young creators often dance and/or lip sync to popular songs. Wright describes the content, which is extremely varied, as “a smorgasbord of [the most] weird, creative, amazing, bizarre videos I’ve ever come across.”

Apparently many find the eclectic selection of “simple, goofy, irreverent” videos appealing. Since its launch in 2017, the app has been downloaded more than a billion times. According to Liv Benger, writing for Medium, “over 682 million people downloaded TikTok in 2019 and [spent] an average of 50 minutes a day” using it.

Those stats certainly suggest rapid growth and near saturation of specific population segments, but do they actually indicate addiction? Most of us know how hard it can be to put down our smartphones or other devices and stop checking email, playing games, texting friends, etc. For some people, those behaviors become compulsive, but do they really rise to the level of addictions?

According to Cornell student Niko Nguyen, the answer is ‘yes.’ In February, The Cornell Daily Sun published an essay in which Nguyen described that the main reason for his difficult decision to delete his TikTok account was that he had found himself “sucked into its addictive grasp.” He went on to explain why he believed TikTok is addictive:

“The app itself is designed to keep us glued to our screens. With most other social media platforms, the majority of content is derived from accounts that you follow. And although you can follow and “friend” a lot of accounts on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, there’s eventually a point where all the “interesting” content runs dry. With TikTok, that isn’t the case.

Nguyen’s explanation might sound like someone at a buffet who can't stop filling his plate because, “Everything tastes so good.” In that case, we’d probably tell the patron he needs to control his own eating; we wouldn’t blame the restaurant for his overindulgence.

TikTok, however, isn’t the 'typical ‘restaurant.' It uses something that most other apps don’t, at least not in such a sophisticated way. Nguyen alludes to that something, which several others identify directly: artificial intelligence (AI).

Palmer, mentioned near the onset of this piece, is one person who claims AI is at the root of TikTok addiction. He says, “TikTok is a remarkably sophisticated AI model that literally tunes itself to your behaviors with a single goal: addicting you to TikTok.”

Others have further unpacked how AI might accomplish that objective. In a New York Times article, John Herman identified the technology underlying each TikTok user’s very personalized For You page as “an algorithmic feed based on videos you’ve interacted with, or even just watched.”

Unlike other social media in which users have a significant say in the content they receive by virtue of who they friend or follow and what those people post, TikTok’s AI notes what users actually like to watch, regardless who shared it, then sends them more of the same, making TikTok “more machine than man.”

A piece in Fixing Port supported the same assertion: “The TikTok algorithm can be blamed for this [addictiveness] to an extent. The algorithm sees what type of content you are watching (particular uploaders, particular genres, etc.) and then customizes the upcoming content to that liking.”

In The New Yorker, Jia Tolentino detailed her own ‘addiction’ to the AI-driven app:

“I was giving TikTok my attention because it was serving me what would retain my attention, and it could do that because it had been designed to perform algorithmic pyrotechnics that were capable of making a half hour pass before I remembered to look away . . . The algorithm gives us whatever pleases us, and we, in turn, give the algorithm whatever pleases it. As the circle tightens, we become less and less able to separate algorithmic interests from our own.”

In her article on Medium, Benger identified a psychological phenomenon, random reinforcement, that explains more precisely what TikTok users experience: Although not every video provides the same level of reward, like playing a slot machine, the periodic payouts come often enough that users keep pulling the lever/swiping their screen because the next clip could be a real winner.

The way TikTok employs AI does seem to put the app in a different category in terms of possible addiction. Whereas traditional methods of generating engaging content eventually run dry, the app’s AI-based video selection seems to know consumers better than they know themselves, allowing an endless array of just-often-enough, captivating content.

Notwithstanding these authors' insightful analyses of the app, two important and closely-related questions remain that none has appeared to answer:

What exactly is addiction?
Just because something is enjoyable, is it addictive?

Most people would likely easily answer the second question, ‘No,’ as there are many things that are very enjoyable to consume (i.e., eat, use, do) that are probably not ‘addictive,’ for instance: take-out from a favorite restaurant, a round of golf, a concert, ice cream!

Over the years, I’ve often written about potentially addictive products, some of which have included:

In researching to write these and similar pieces, a few things I’ve learned are:

People tend to play fast and loose with the word addiction.
Genuine addictions tend to occur in relatively large percentages of the population, not with just a few people.
There are specific clinical criteria for classifying substances and other things as addictive:

- an overpowering need
- a tendency to increase consumption
- a psychic dependence.

Although it’s common to hear people say things like, “That cake is so good; it’s addictive,” it’s unlikely that any of the clinical characteristics of addiction apply to eating cake. For these reasons, when I wrote the blog posts above, I concluded that numbers 1-4 are often true addictions, while Numbers 5-7, though problematic for certain people, really aren’t.

TikTok, seems to fit best with the second set of products as a non-addiction. That doesn’t mean that the app isn’t a time sink for some, or that it doesn’t present other potential problems. Most people, however, likely can control their use of the app by setting time limits and mustering some will power. Also, as Nguyen showed, it’s not that hard to close one’s TikTok account—it’s certainly much easier than dealing with a drinking problem or stopping smoking.

TikTok appears to provide its target market with inexpensive entertainment while also inspiring creativity and collaboration among users. Although some of us may not understand its appeal and there could be other issues with its content or use, at this point the app should be ‘swiped up’ as "Mindful Marketing."

Subscribe to Mindful Matters blog.
Learn more about the Mindful Matrix.
Check out Mindful Marketing Ads and Vote your Mind!

22 Comments

Seth Simmons

9/2/2020 09:34:08 pm

I personally find this post about TikTok quite interesting. I remember when my peers first discovered the app. We found it to be very much like Vine, and we were skeptical that it would succeed in the way that it did. Almost overnight, the app exploded and everyone began using it. My girlfriend used to use it very often and would complain that it would waste so much of her time, yet it was fun. She would say she had an addiction to it, but I highly doubt it was clinical as was mentioned in the blog post. She has since deleted the app from becoming a distraction, which I applaud her for. I do think that it is a serious time waster, as the time seems to quickly pass while using the app. Before you realize it, an hour has already gone by. The predecessor to TikTok, Vine, was immensely popular before it died off. I am almost surprised that TikTok hasn’t followed the same path. Only time will tell if and when it becomes defunct.

Megan Godshall

9/3/2020 09:29:08 pm

I fully agree with the points of TikTok being highly addictive, I myself have been caught in the web of the app for hours without realizing how much time has gone by. By having videos that range only from about 15 seconds to a minute, it’s near impossible for the users to lose interest in the app. The algorithm that TikTok uses is extremely impressive at customizing the selection of content for each individual’s “For You” page. However, I would not give the app and it’s algorithm all of the credit. There are thousands of creators making videos everyday, some posting several videos everyday. With so many people making new and unique content everyday, the algorithm is able to section off full communities. Because of these communities, users are able to easily meet new people– new friends– who have the same interests as them. Participating and actually creating videos regularly, is also highly encouraged by the app as Tiktok has a “Creator Fund” which is achieved after one reaches several requirements (age of 18, achieving so many followers and views, ect). This allows creators to make money for creating and become eligible for brand deals. In turn, TIkTok will always have users making more content. The app is brilliantly planned out to benefit themselves, as well as bringing entertainment to its users. Although the app does lead to addictive tendencies, and is also possibly a ‘threat’, I do not believe TikTok should be discouraged. Social media as a whole has always been an addiction problem in people’s lives, and Facebook has also had struggles as an app that misused it’s user’s information.

Zak Muffitt

9/4/2020 08:01:20 am

While I do believe TikTok can be extremely addictive, I also believe that all the other social media sites are just as addictive. We, as college students, spend a lot of our downtime scrolling through various sites and before we know it... an hour or two has gone by without realizing it. I think TikTok has the potential to be extremely addictive just because of the way it can show you the content you would most likely be interested in. By pushing content that someone is interested in.. that person is more likely to be consumed in the app without realizing how much time they are spending on it. Mostly I just think it comes down to being lazy and not having priorities straight. Personally, I do not have TikTok and have no urge to ever get it. Also, I do believe TikTok needs to be carefully monitored by the US government. If Trump thinks that China is spying on us and potentially getting important information about the United States, we need to shut it down immediately. China is a huge threat to us and the world. Their communistic environment is one that this country should want no part of. We were birthed having freedoms and Trump should eliminate anything that he thinks could potentially compromise those freedoms.

Caelyn Williams

9/4/2020 08:29:33 am

I saw this blog post to be intriguing because I can honestly see why people would consider this app addictive. Before I got this app, I did not understand the appeal or how so many people were getting involved with it. I had friends that would complain about how the app can consume time, and I realized this fact myself when I got TikTok. In the beginning, it isn't extremely hard to manage and is just a hobby, but now it can be a little more demanding to get off of TikTok due to its easy continuous swipe nature. It is entirely different than every other social media said, as your blog stated previously, in that while you can run out of content on Instagram, Twitter, etc., it is almost impossible to run out of content so you just continually looking at TikToks until you decided to stop. Based on this information, however, I would still say this app is not near the point of alcohol addiction, because for most people it is still not difficult to leave or cut off the app. I am curious to see if this app lasts after Trump's cut off date and if so what is the next step.

Reed Bond

9/4/2020 01:20:14 pm

To start off this comment I feel like have to say that I am also a Tik Tok user. I do not post any content but still spend way to much time on that app. The quote that I most related to in this post was “Although not every video provides the same level of reward, like playing a slot machine, the periodic payouts come often enough that users keep pulling the lever/swiping their screen because the next clip could be a real winner.” Many times I’ll tell myself “Ok, only 3 more videos than I’m going to bed.” I quickly find myself scrolling through way more than just 3 because I am looking for the “real winner” video. Would I say this app is addictive? Absolutely. Will I delete the app because it is addictive? Probably not because Tik Tok videos are a fun way to pass time, which is why I use it the most.

Brooke Boyd

9/15/2020 04:55:14 pm

Living in a generation where phones and social media are something that people cling to, it comes to the point where you have to tell yourself enough is enough. Personally, I see how TikTok can be so addicting because I do have the app, I'm not the one to video myself dancing and post them, but I do occasionally scroll through the app. I agree with the article, this app is simply addicting because of its algorithm. It seems that every time you're swiping through the videos they relate to you and the things that you like, (they do even more if you give them a like). This app doesn't seem to have a certain age of audience, and I would argue there is no specific aged audience. There are many different ages of "TikTok Famous" users ranging from young teens to adults. Also TikTok's unique way of keeping the audience sucked in, which is the for you page, puts the videos the algorithm knows you will continue watching. The unique thing about it is you could see video posts from kids in your school or from someone from another part of the world. When talking about the addictiveness of this app, it’s something that is personal. Everyone has self-control, Apple iPhone has screen time limits available which is very helpful for any app. If a parent allows a child to have this app, set limits for them, because this app will suck you in to its mesmerizing variety of videos. The time seems to fly by when just scrolling through this app, simply because your brain is so sucked into what you are watching. People can say they are addicted to the app, but personally I think that is extreme. I think it is possible if you allow yourself to, because dopamine pathways can become active when we become so obsessed with any kind of social media. Which is why the amount of time of TikTok we consume needs to be monitored, and that goes for any social media platform.

Cece McCrory

9/15/2020 08:40:12 pm

I really found the article on Tik Tok interesting. I had downloaded it back in the early fall of 2019 but deleted it a few months later because if it's addictive quality. It's blows my mind that Tik Tok is not actually addictive but can really waste 3 hours of someones day and them having no idea until they look at the clock. I had no idea about the use of artificial intelligence in the app to make it so people can't look away but it makes sense. Every users "for you page" is so personalized to them and what they like so they never have that moment that is "I'm just going to get on tik tok for 5 minutes" because it always turns into hours. There is always new content to look at and the videos are all between 10 and 60 seconds long so they keep the viewers short attention spans. Using AI in Tik Tok has made that app so popular it feels addicting, and have had downloads skyrocket, especially with everyone being trapped at home due to the pandemic. Tik Tok definitely has mindful marketing.

Ethan Miller

9/15/2020 08:41:09 pm

Ultimately, we live in a world and in a time where among almost all age groups of people, social media is utilized for a number of different reasons. Whether it be to remain in touch with friends and family, network for job opportunities, search for and share news and current events, or even simply just for entertainment, social media is at the forefront of society. Most of the time, various social media platforms fluctuate in popular, but as of recent, this has not been the case for TikTok. The platform continues to grow exponentially, and is a frequently talked about topic in our world today. While the app excels at gaining and retaining users, I would not consider the platform to be addictive. The term "addictive" holds a very negative connotation, and causes one to think that "once they start, they won't be able to stop" or "I need this in order to effectively live my life." Each of these statements, and the general connotation regarding the word "addiction" are not the case for the majority of the population utilizing this service. Rather, I believe that the app simply brings joy to many individuals, allows people to express thoughts and creativity, is an easy and fun hobby, and TikTok even allows individuals to make a career and earn income through their videos. Regardless of the "addictive" nature of the app, if users prefer to do so, they may set daily limits and with a little bit of determination, they may also establish personal borders in regards to their usage. The fact that TikTok is so successful proves that they have mastered the ability to deliver quality content, specific to each of their users. In my opinion, the business should not be penalized for this, as individuals are most definitely capable of establishing limits for themselves if they fear the app is consuming too much of their time.

Dalton Miller

9/15/2020 09:07:09 pm

After reading the article, i am on both sides of the fence about how to view TikTok. I do agree that it can be addictive at times when you tell yourself you are done but then are still laying there watching it an hour later, however I also believe that people can have enough self control to close the app when they know they should. The app is designed to be adjusted based on the user's interests as the article discussed by talking about the Artificial Intelligence. I believe that is the reason that people have a hard time closing the app at the end of the day because they know that the majority of videos they come across while scrolling will be appealing to the user. At the same time though, The app itself recognizes what the Artificial Intelligence does and as you are scrolling a video from someone who works for TikTok pops up and tells you that the videos will still be there tomorrow and to get some sleep. With this being said, I believe that there is not really an excuse to be addicted to the app since you have your own total control on whether or not to keep watching videos. Overall, I think it comes down to anything else that can potentially be distracting, you have to balance your time being productive and time relaxing; and its the users decision.

Andrew Mintonye

9/16/2020 10:37:21 am

TikTok is in fact an addictive activity from personal experience. The company has truly developed a brilliant technology that shows you videos based on what you like and what you comment on. The fact that A.I. can keep you on your phone is crazy because you gain some sort of pleasure out of it. It truly is unlike any other social media platform in the way that it communicates with you. The algorithm that they use is very interesting in the way that your video is featured. People want a sense of fame in this current day and age and TikTok is capable of that through their "For You" page. A person can post a random video and somehow the algorithm puts that video in front of the world which could possibly make you "TikTok" famous. This is another addictive factor in which people may be able to obtain a few minutes of fame only in one video (with the hopes of growing their account).

Ashley Niebauer

9/16/2020 12:53:14 pm

Before COVID-19, I was very apprehensive towards Tik Tok. I did not understand the hype up and the overall appeal of the app, I thought that these videos were just a waste of time and energy. As the virus progressed and my city was put on a lockdown, I decided to download it to see what everyone was talking about. After downloading this app and using it for a few hours, time flew by. Two hours had passed, and it was then that I understood what people mean when they say that Tik took is addicting. As skeptical as it was, I began to love the app because of its differences from all of the other social media apps. I naturally have a short attention span, so the 15 second hilarious videos were perfect for me. As time went on, I quickly realized how addictive, or not, the app really was. I found this article very interesting as it is very relevant and a current topic all around the world. As a tik tok user, I find it very relieving to know for sure that while it does feel addicting when it consumes more of your life than you would like it to, that it is not actually addictive.

Ben Lefever

9/16/2020 01:54:56 pm

I agree that Tik Tok may not fit into the scientific definition of addictive but it is designed to grab users attentions for long periods of time. Personally, I never have had tik tok but I have talked to friends who will spend hours at a time on tik tok. One of the ways that tik tok does this is by removing the clock from the top of the iPhone screen. The app is designed so that the clock that is normally always present at the very top of the screen disappears while using the app. I believe Tik Tok is single minded because they do create stock holder value but they do not hold up societal values. They are the reason so many people waste hours a day when they could be do more productive things like study to get better grades.

Rebecca Arze

9/16/2020 11:26:50 pm

I find this blog post to be particularly interesting because I can relate to it myself. After my two younger sisters became so interested in TikTok in 2018, I decided to try it out myself. After having the app for more than two years, I can definitely confirm at least for myself that it can be addicting. Other platforms can also be addicting but I think TikTok is different. For example on Instagram, once you've scrolled past your following page and see the posts, you would probably close the app. On the TikTok "for you" page, its a never-ending feed of short videos. The page is designed to show you videos relating to those you've interacted with whether it be by like, comment, share, etc. Tiktok's algorithm definitely knows how to target its audience. As a tiktok user myself, I enjoyed this read because it made me think a lot about the addictiveness of the app even though I never wanted to acknowledge it myself.

Dean Carver link

9/17/2020 12:43:53 pm

I quite enjoyed reading that article about Tik Tok. I believe most people who comment on this article, can agree that Tik Tok, somehow, manages to be a time-consuming app. An addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. So, what does this mean? It means that we as humans allow ourselves to engage in things that make us feel good in the moment. Most people are materialistic, but not all. People love feeling the rise of emotions, the rush of adrenaline, or even the "high" of life. Tik tok is almost like a tool that categorizes all of our emotions in that setting. There are videos of literally anything. I believe that tik tok connects with its viewers indirectly. It makes people feel a part of their society. The music in each tik tok dance or video is where I believe it connects directly with viewers. The sound or backup music in each video is usually trending, and if not, it is after tik tok uses it because so many people start enjoying the sounds and songs. I know from experience that there has been sounds and songs I started listening to simply because the song was praised.
I also wanted to point out that I was shocked about what that AI can do. It is true that I always find myself stuck on that ridiculous app, but it all makes sense now. If you have a timer or an alarm, that it a really useful tool. It was mentioned that the app engages the short span of engagement by the viewer. This is why an alarm would interrupt that engagement and switch to reality where hours have passed by.

Jasmine Widjaja

10/24/2020 12:52:39 am

The addiction is no longer talk about religions, social parties, smoke, drugs but also the attachment to the social media. The first thing that you have raised as one of the dangers facing United States which is TikTok. TikTok has increased its fame significantly during this past few years. In my country, TikTok has become one of the attention leaving Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube aside. I think people is getting bored nowadays with their self-quarantine and work or study at home, therefore, their tendency to consume or play with the social media has arises to a great extent. In the Mindful Matrix, it is correct that TikTok become one of the solutions for inexpensive entertainment while still providing creativity in the videos they (people) posted.

Sarah Lewis

10/26/2020 11:52:33 am

I related very much to this article because for the past year I have been on TikTok, even before it blew up, and at some point I thought I was addicted to it, however, reading this article helped me realize that it isn’t truly an addiction, and if I wanted to, I could easily delete the app from my phone. I believe that TikTok’s algorithm is really creative and well thought out. All the videos I view on the app seem to be tailored to me specifically. I can spend hours on the app scrolling through my “For You Page” without realizing how much time I wasted. As a result, while I understand that this app is not technically an addiction like smoking or drinking, it is still very hard to get yourself off of the app because it is a fun way to pass time.

Ana Norio Bran

10/26/2020 07:04:39 pm

I really liked reading this article on TikTok because I think it is a relevant topic in our society today. Before reading this article, I probably would've associated my use on this app as being extremely addictive but seeing that with one click you can either delete or close the app, I think it's not as addictive as it makes it to seem. I also find TikTok to be such a great marketing tool we have seen especially during the pandemic because of its ability to cater to many different audiences. What makes TikTok very unique is its "inexpensive entertainment while also inspiring creativity and collaboration among users" which has lead to new innovations and creative branding through social media.I think with all social media outlets there are cons, but TikTok seeks to produce more benefits for its viewers.

Christian A Molina

10/27/2020 07:09:17 am

This was a very interesting and relevant article. In this day and age of social media, TikTok is making a name for itself. I resisted downloading TikTok because I did not think the craze was gonna last. It took one of my sisters asking me to look at their video to actually download it. After downloading it, I definitely see why there is such an addiction to the app. It is almost like a faster-paced and more creative Vine. TikTok has made all the right moves so far to keep users interested with its effects and other creative features. I also see the aspiration to be famous on the platform as a driving factor in attracting users.

Michael Mohebiravesh

10/27/2020 11:21:30 am

This blog was really good to read, because of how accurate it is on the app Tiktok. Tiktok is obviously one of the biggest things now for people to be on during their free time, and whats crazier is its open to any age. I use to think of the app as some sort of childish entertainment, but I went to my friends house and he told me how even his dad has downloaded tiktok, because of how funny it is. So tiktok is really advancing itself in the addictive entertainment world, especially with everyone quarantined, not wanting to pay for anything unnecessary during a pandemic.

Brandon McClean

10/28/2020 09:17:40 pm

I think that this article was spot on. I previously had TikTok on my phone, and ended up deleting it because I would spend too much time on it. I did not think about how AI plays a role in generating videos that we enjoy watching and adding them to our pages, that is so interesting to me. Social Media is dominating the world, and TikTok is right up there at the top. I think once Covid-19 hit and lockdown and stay at home orders were forced all across the country, TikTok and other social media apps' usage skyrocketed. Personally, I do think you can get addicted to these types of things, and with TikTok, hours can go by before you even know it. I think this article hit every point right on the head.

kendall Deaton

10/29/2020 06:17:00 pm

This article does a great job of not only pointing out some very concerning things about Tik Tok but also dives further in just how innovative this app is. Although some would say it is another social media app the way that they use AI is incredible. A big advantage that Tik Tok has is that the content is almost always different and you are seeing new content continuously. This is why the app is so addictive.This article is well written does a great job of breaking down Tik Tok

Daniel

11/23/2020 07:39:57 pm

I think is article is very interesting. TikTok is a very addictive app many user. TikTok has an interesting A.I. allowing the app to peak viewers interest even more. Not only does the app show trends you may like, some people actually make a living off of it. Not only can people make money off of it. They may also get famous and have their moment of shine.

Too Attached to an App?

Leave a Reply.

Editor

Archives

Categories