Conscientious students spurn TikTok - 14th November 2022

To minimise distractions in the run-up to exams, UK students have been uninstalling TikTok, saying the social media platform interferes with revision due to its addictive clips and 'infinite scrolling' - the feature that loads content continually.

22-year-old Eleanor Crabbe, a Cardiff University undergraduate, deleted the app while prepping for examinations. 'I delete and reinstall TikTok periodically because I noticed I spend too much time on it and get very addicted,' she said. Likewise, student Ed Barnes confessed the app made him 'lose track of time,' adding that since 'every video is so different, it is easy to keep watching.'

Perhaps more disturbing is the app's content and Crabbe's conscious that numerous TikTok videos pop up which concern fitness and fashion, even if she selected 'funny videos'. Although she's a big fan, she admits 'there's also a lot of content which makes me feel pressure to look a certain way or buy certain things.'

Among psychologists, there's a consensus that TikTok is addictive and one specialist, Bangor University's Dr Nia Williams, puts it down to the app's personalised algorithm. Scrolling through the clips, the brain releases dopamine - the neurotransmitter associated with satisfaction - which seduces users and tempts them away from more pressing concerns.

Experts have criteria for determining if TikTok's a mere habit or an actual addiction. Does it restrict time spent with your nearest and dearest? Does it negatively impact time dedicated to your customary pastimes? If you fail to check TikTok regularly, do you get agitated?

If your responses are in the affirmative, your use of TikTok might be unhealthy.

Deleting the app is a knee-jerk reaction and isn't necessarily the best option, according to UK TikTokker Catherine Keenan. She highlights its numerous benefits, including its valuable guidelines 'on how to handle exams and stress.'

If you're anxious about your relationship with TikTok, Dr Williams suggests doing without your phone for an hour daily, and if that fails, try uninstalling it for a week or month. 'Be in control of your phone, don't let your phone control you,' she counsels.