But as more and more content has become quickly available on the internet, that average dropped to 11.9 hours in 2016. On Twitter, for example, viral hashtags used to stay in the top 50 for an average of 17.5 hours in 2013. However, one 2019 study found that when society is faced with an overabundance of information, our collective attention span decreases. There isn’t any research that has specifically pegged short-form videos to decreased attention span. We flit so quickly between videos, scrolling when someone speaks just a bit too slowly to capture our interest, and this could potentially make our focus worse than it already is. Social shorts could also mess with the brain by taking a toll on your attention span. And although research is still emerging on exactly how the short videos fit into the picture and whether they’re better or worse for our mental health than other forms of social media, research has shown that “TikTok use disorder” is linked to memory loss, as well as depression, anxiety, and stress. Of course, because these short-form videos are a form of social media, it’s likely that they come with all of the other issues social media has been linked to. People who have social anxiety or are experiencing social isolation are most likely to develop addiction-like symptoms, which isn’t great for any of us as we live through a pandemic. Problematic use is associated with addiction-like symptoms such as loss of control, withdrawal, failure to reduce use, and other negative consequences, according to a 2015 study. Internet use usually becomes problematic when people spend too much time online, which is exactly what the apps are so good at getting you to do. This could drive addiction-like behavior. But because these apps quickly learn what content users like and then feed it to them on a silver platter, it can lead people to stay on the app longer than they had originally intended. This isn’t surprising, as social media platforms are designed to keep users engaged for as long as possible. These areas don’t light up while watching the general videos. A study on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, found that when people watch personalized videos on the app, the reward centers of their brains light up, as do areas associated with addiction. But as the app gets to know your preferences, it delivers videos that match your taste. When you first join the app, you receive general videos that aren’t yet catered to the content you gravitate towards. One issue with apps like TikTok is that the shorts they put in front of you are so personalized. And although research on short-form videos’ mental health impact is in the early stages, what it suggests so far may have you steering clear of this type of social media.
But not all social media is created equal, and research is beginning to show the dangers of a newer form of online content: social “shorts.” These videos, which can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, are most common on TikTok, but they also appear on platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. A large body of research has shown that frequent social media use can cause depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self-esteem, and disrupted sleep.
0 kommentar(er)
