The nonstop supply of short videos offered by TikTok makes it difficult for young users to switch gears to slower-moving activities — like school. TikTok is the new candy store.
Carl Marci, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, observes that—
It is hard to look at increasing trends in media consumption of all types, media multitasking and rates of ADHD in young people and not conclude that there is a decrease in their attention span. —The Wall Street Journal, April 2, 2022
Don’t miss Julie Jargon’s superb article, TikTok Brain Explained: Why Some Kids Seem Hooked on Social Video Feeds. She reports on how TikTok achieves its seductive grip, the brain science behind its tireless algorithm, and what you can do to help your child increase their attention span.
The related video is eye opening. It shows you how TikTok compels attention using a dynamic visualization. Hats off to The Wall Street Journal for their independent research.
