TikTok has significantly reduced quality of life, particularly in Western markets. For something that takes up 12% of leisure time, it's uniquely dangerous.
It's not just about time-on-screen (NFLX & YT also play a role there) — it's also about what is encouraged to be watched.
- Addictive algorithms (1 hour per DAY!? spent on the app)
- Popular topics are non-educational (ex: Chinese Douyin content is overwhelmingly educational focused, while Western content is 60x likely to be entertainment vs education)
- Easily manipulated by fake news & trends
- Company abuses & shares location, microphone, etc. private user data
- Nurturing an instantaneous gratification habit
- Accounting for a staggering 3-5% of ALL searches!
There will be a lookback on how detrimental the Business was on topics that dominated young people's mindshare, how TikTok influenced the way young people see the world, and how (unfortunately) a CCP-influenced algo played a large role in it all - at a global scale.
And to be clear, I think Video and lowering the barrier to create/distribute ideas is good for the world. But TikTok uniquely has proven itself to abuse that power.
