Kentucky AG: TikTok users can become ‘addicted’ in 35 minutes
As TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users can attest, the platform’s hyper-personalized algorithm can be so engaging it becomes difficult to close the app. TikTok determined the precise amount of viewing it takes for someone to form a habit: 260 videos. After that, according to state investigators, a user “is likely to become addicted to the platform.”
In the previously redacted portion of the suit, Kentucky authorities say: “While this may seem substantial, TikTok videos can be as short as 8 seconds and are played for viewers in rapid-fire succession, automatically,” the investigators wrote. “Thus, in under 35 minutes, an average user is likely to become addicted to the platform.”
Another internal document found that the company was aware its many features designed to keep young people on the app led to a constant and irresistible urge to keep opening the app.
TikTok’s own research states that “compulsive usage correlates with a slew of negative mental health effects like loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety,” according to the suit.
In addition, the documents show that TikTok was aware that “compulsive usage also interferes with essential personal responsibilities like sufficient sleep, work/school responsibilities, and connecting with loved ones.”
PoetOk9167 on
They demonize tiktok like YouTube and ig don’t do the same shit.
PoetOk9167 on
TikTok in crisis mode after report on TikTok Live being ‘strip club filled with 15-year-olds’
After a 2022 report on Forbes about underage kids stripping on TikTok’s live feature, the company launched its own investigation.
That’s when TikTok officials realized there was “a high” number of underage streamers receiving digital currency on the app in the form of a “gift” or “coin” in exchange for stripping — real money converted into a digital currency often in the form of a plush toy or a flower.
TikTok discovered “a significant” number of adults direct messaging underage TikTokkers about stripping live on the platform.
As part of this internal probe, TikTok officials found that in just one month, 1 million “gifts” were sent to kids engaged in “transactional” behavior.
NothingSinceMonday on
Fyi…. Watch the handful of Politicians in Washington that defend TikTok…. then see the large sums of $$$ they are getting from Chinese Lobbyist they are receiving.
Each one of them should get a one way ticket to China.
jeremycb29 on
Like I understand there is a fuck ton wrong with tik tok, but I have learned a fuck ton of cooking tips, money saving ideas, better ways to clean. Like it’s probably something you should not have until you are mid 20s but there is a ton of good there too.
fintheman on
The ban is set to take effect Jan 19, 2025
Big_Tuna1789 on
Half the commenters in here are clearly addicted to TikTok and justifying all the terrible shit associated with the platform..
human1023 on
As if other social media sites are good for people.
“*But people lie on tiktok”!* like Twitter and Facebook don’t.
GiftFromGlob on
Meanwhile, TrikTok is absolutely mogged by US political propaganda ads paid for by defrauding the US tax payers.
Cricketize on
I want similar investigations on youtube and instagram with their shorts feature. Short format videos like this are clearly some sort of digital crack, and Meta and Google are dealing it too. I’ve deleted both instagram and youtube because how addictive the shorts are, and there’s no option to remove then in the apps.
LeadRain on
He continued: “We have robust safeguards, which include proactively removing suspected underage users, and we have voluntarily launched safety features such as default screentime limits, family pairing, and privacy by default for minors under 16.”
lol, I have nieces and nephews under the age of 12 that are on Tic Tok.
The app is a fucking cancer.
excusetheblood on
Is TikTok unusually predatory with their addictive algorithm? I’m pretty sure Facebook, YouTube and Instagram pioneered the whole “addictive algorithm” thing. TikTok videos have also gotten longer, up to 10 minutes now. Personally I find TikTok much less addicting that Reddit or insta reels
FyreJadeblood on
Addictive Social Media (United States): Epic 😎
Addictive Social Media (Chinese): Evil!
MR_Se7en on
Why this isn’t done to all apps is dump. Instagram and Facebook, even Reddit are just as addictive.
nal1200 on
> But in one of the lawsuits, filed by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, the redactions were faulty. This was revealed when Kentucky Public Radio copied-and-pasted excerpts of the redacted material, bringing to light some 30 pages of documents that had been kept secret.
What an unbelievable fuck up. Kentucky literally just put black background under black text. You could still copy and paste the text.
nbcs on
As someone who had a close friend who was actually addicted to drugs, these “experts” and politicians’ use of the word “addiction” is starting to piss me off. This is an insult to those who are suffering mentally and physically due to actual addiction.
16 Comments
Kentucky AG: TikTok users can become ‘addicted’ in 35 minutes
As TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users can attest, the platform’s hyper-personalized algorithm can be so engaging it becomes difficult to close the app. TikTok determined the precise amount of viewing it takes for someone to form a habit: 260 videos. After that, according to state investigators, a user “is likely to become addicted to the platform.”
In the previously redacted portion of the suit, Kentucky authorities say: “While this may seem substantial, TikTok videos can be as short as 8 seconds and are played for viewers in rapid-fire succession, automatically,” the investigators wrote. “Thus, in under 35 minutes, an average user is likely to become addicted to the platform.”
Another internal document found that the company was aware its many features designed to keep young people on the app led to a constant and irresistible urge to keep opening the app.
TikTok’s own research states that “compulsive usage correlates with a slew of negative mental health effects like loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety,” according to the suit.
In addition, the documents show that TikTok was aware that “compulsive usage also interferes with essential personal responsibilities like sufficient sleep, work/school responsibilities, and connecting with loved ones.”
They demonize tiktok like YouTube and ig don’t do the same shit.
TikTok in crisis mode after report on TikTok Live being ‘strip club filled with 15-year-olds’
After a 2022 report on Forbes about underage kids stripping on TikTok’s live feature, the company launched its own investigation.
That’s when TikTok officials realized there was “a high” number of underage streamers receiving digital currency on the app in the form of a “gift” or “coin” in exchange for stripping — real money converted into a digital currency often in the form of a plush toy or a flower.
TikTok discovered “a significant” number of adults direct messaging underage TikTokkers about stripping live on the platform.
As part of this internal probe, TikTok officials found that in just one month, 1 million “gifts” were sent to kids engaged in “transactional” behavior.
Fyi…. Watch the handful of Politicians in Washington that defend TikTok…. then see the large sums of $$$ they are getting from Chinese Lobbyist they are receiving.
Each one of them should get a one way ticket to China.
Like I understand there is a fuck ton wrong with tik tok, but I have learned a fuck ton of cooking tips, money saving ideas, better ways to clean. Like it’s probably something you should not have until you are mid 20s but there is a ton of good there too.
The ban is set to take effect Jan 19, 2025
Half the commenters in here are clearly addicted to TikTok and justifying all the terrible shit associated with the platform..
As if other social media sites are good for people.
“*But people lie on tiktok”!* like Twitter and Facebook don’t.
Meanwhile, TrikTok is absolutely mogged by US political propaganda ads paid for by defrauding the US tax payers.
I want similar investigations on youtube and instagram with their shorts feature. Short format videos like this are clearly some sort of digital crack, and Meta and Google are dealing it too. I’ve deleted both instagram and youtube because how addictive the shorts are, and there’s no option to remove then in the apps.
He continued: “We have robust safeguards, which include proactively removing suspected underage users, and we have voluntarily launched safety features such as default screentime limits, family pairing, and privacy by default for minors under 16.”
lol, I have nieces and nephews under the age of 12 that are on Tic Tok.
The app is a fucking cancer.
Is TikTok unusually predatory with their addictive algorithm? I’m pretty sure Facebook, YouTube and Instagram pioneered the whole “addictive algorithm” thing. TikTok videos have also gotten longer, up to 10 minutes now. Personally I find TikTok much less addicting that Reddit or insta reels
Addictive Social Media (United States): Epic 😎
Addictive Social Media (Chinese): Evil!
Why this isn’t done to all apps is dump. Instagram and Facebook, even Reddit are just as addictive.
> But in one of the lawsuits, filed by the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, the redactions were faulty. This was revealed when Kentucky Public Radio copied-and-pasted excerpts of the redacted material, bringing to light some 30 pages of documents that had been kept secret.
What an unbelievable fuck up. Kentucky literally just put black background under black text. You could still copy and paste the text.
As someone who had a close friend who was actually addicted to drugs, these “experts” and politicians’ use of the word “addiction” is starting to piss me off. This is an insult to those who are suffering mentally and physically due to actual addiction.