A few months ago, I volunteered to be part of a career panel at my old high school. It was a great experience; I got to share my expertise with teens aspiring to join my field, had some meaningful conversations, and best of all– I was able to reconnect with some of my favorite teachers. However, during our discussion after the panel, my former teacher shared with me something that I found surprising: teens are getting harder to teach.
To this, I’m sure most people would say, “wait a minute, haven’t teens always been hard to teach?” But apparently in recent years there has become an increasing problem of keeping them focused in school, and many people are attributing this to the rise of social media use, especially apps like TikTok.
TikTok Brain
In my research on this issue, I was quick to discover the term “TikTok Brain.” This pretty much refers to the addictive effects that short-form-content based apps like TikTok can have on a person’s brain, especially a young person whose brain is still developing. The fact of the matter is that short videos provide a quick dopamine hit that stimulates the pleasure center of our brains, and often leaves us wanting more. Add that to the fact that algorithms are designed to give us exactly the kind of content we want, coupled with endless scroll features, and you have an environment that is very difficult to pull yourself away from.
If you’ve spent any amount of time on TikTok— or in my case YouTube Shorts— you probably know how easy it can be for time to pass without you even noticing. Got something you have to do? Let’s do it after just one more video. After all, they’re only like 30 seconds long. Pretty soon, you’ve completely forgotten your task and wasted two hours on your phone. So you can imagine what kind of effect apps like this have on kids in school.
Those who are avid TikTok users even report they are unable to focus on longer videos, with 50% stating that they find these formats to be stressful. I myself have noticed worrying changes in my attention span over the pandemic, specifically that I now find it difficult to sit through a movie and often end up splitting it into two parts. And it’s not just TikTok anymore that’s causing this problem. Other social media apps like YouTube and Instagram have realized that short form video keeps users scrolling longer, and have now implemented features like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts.
So this begs the question, what can we do?
As much as we might not like the answer, and as hard as it might be, we need to put our phones down. Personally, I find that it’s much easier to stay motivated and limit my screen time when I make myself aware of the predatory practices that social media algorithms employ. Another great way is to use built-in features on your device such as screen time counters that measure how long you’re spending online and on which apps.
This road won’t be easy. But we need to do ourselves this favor. Put your phone down. You’ll thank yourself for it one day.
Have you noticed this problem yourself? What actions do you take to help limit your screen time?
Twitter Post
Has your attention span gotten worse? 🤔 You might have #tiktokbrain. Click the link to learn more: http://tinyurl.com/muxcrrk2 #disconnect
Facebook Post
Has your teen’s attention span gotten worse lately? They might have “TikTok Brain.” Learn more about TikTok Brain and what you can do about it in my latest blog post! 👇👇👇 #tiktok #disconnect
Sources:
Miller, M. (2022, April 13). Is ‘TikTok brain’ affecting kids? Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/tiktok-brain-5225664
TikTok is killing your brain, one short-form video at a time. (2022, September 18). Social Media Psychology. https://socialmediapsychology.eu/2022/08/18/tiktok-is-killing-your-brain-right-now/
Algonquin College Social Media Certificate Program 
I hate to admit it, but I absolutely suffer from TikTok Brain! I didn’t realize there was a name for it, but I often find myself wondering where all my time has gone after spending countless hours scrolling TikTok.
I try to set boundaries for myself when I realize I’ve been scrolling for longer than 3-5 short videos worth. I will give myself a time limit, usually it’s about 5 minutes, and I will set an alarm for that amount of time. Once the alarm goes off, I know I need to put my phone down and get back to the task at hand.
I also use TikTok as a reward for myself. If I am having a stressful day at work or my social battery is depleted, I will allow myself an hour on TikTok to unwind and decompress. By treating it as a reward and limiting my time spent on it, I find it keeps it interesting and is something I can work towards throughout the day.
Those both sound like excellent strategies! I’ll have to look into the time limit one, since I find alarms are sometimes the only way to get me to do things haha.
Oh dear, I also have fallen down this rabbit hole! I don’t use TikTok but the reels on Facebook get me every time. It starts with a quick sewing video and next thing you know everyone is yelling for dinner.
I have also started to limit myself to 5 videos then put the phone down. It is quite addictive, no wonder children spend hours staring at a screen.
Thank you for this inciteful information.
Yeah it can be almost scary how easy it is to lose yourself in short form video scrolling. I didn’t know that Facebook has added reels too. It seems like very social media is trying to do it now.
Very interesting article! Thank you for posting, as I thought my kids were just making up an excuse for not doing something! lol
I am not on TikTok, and I can tell you that that’s on purpose! I see how much time my kids spend on it and how easily distracted they are. They set the time limits and I see how easy it is just to say “Just one more video!”.
Although I enjoy videos when they share them with me, I think I better stay away!
Yeah there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making the choice to stay away altogether. It’s for that reason that I won’t download TikTok on my phone and I only use it through my web browser. It can be far too easy to get distracted.
This was a very interesting read. I have certainly found myself in this position where I said i was going to be on TikTok for 5 minutes and 2 hours later was still watching videos. I’ve noticed fog after being online for hours as well. You have some helpful tips and insights to combat it. Thanks for the advice.
Thank you! I’ve also noticed a bit of a fog from too much screen time. But I think recognizing the issue is the first step in solving it, so it’s good that we’re all becoming aware if it.
Is it bad I find comfort in knowing that I’m not the only one with TikTok Brain? Of course, it’s tragic that this has become such an issue it’s now being deemed with its own title.
I avoided TikTok for quite some time specifically for the purpose of saving my productivity. Although I have to say that sometimes if the algorithm works just right, I find myself being inspired by other users. I came across a video where someone was cleaning and organizing their kitchen which made me want to do the same. It didn’t take long before I had started three projects around the house.
I guess it’s all about moderation!
Moderation is key! I think like all social media, TikTok can be a fantastic tool, it’s only when people use it too much that it starts to become an issue. I use TikTok for inspiration when it comes to arts and crafts projects. It’s all about how you use it.
I can’t get enough of the cleaning and organizing videos! There is something so satisfying about seeing an organized fridge and then accidentally blowing far too much money on little clear bins.
I too have seen a decrease in my attention span over recent years. I used to use the “mom brain” excuse but perhaps TikTok brain can be my new go-to term. Shorter videos always feel like so much less of a commitment even though they quickly add up to just as much time wasted. Its like being able to commit to watching an episode of a show when a full movie seems to be too much… only to end up binge watching far too many episodes and flying past the length of the movie.