From time to time, I have been a voluntary TikTok deleter. In January with the news that TikTok would be banned, I spent the final Saturday scrolling. At around 10pm, the scrolling came to an involuntary halt as the screen read that TikTok was no longer available. I closed out of the app only to open it out of habit just minutes later. With the frustration of this habit, I became one of the TikTok deleters. January 19th to February 13th were TikTok-less days for me. I noticed a few tendencies that surprised me, and now that TikTok is available for all once again, I’m hoping to share my reflections and thoughts moving forward.
Phone Memorization:
I nearly immediately found myself unconsciously tapping on the place on my lock screen where TikTok once was. The unconscious nature of this pattern scared me. I knew I did not have TikTok, yet I would still attempt to use it. This habit was harder to curb than I expected. I found that normal spaces of repetition and boredom throughout my day are filled with TikTok.
Useful Aspects of TikTok:
The TikTok search engine is something I missed. For little things, like wanting to try a new hair technique, I would usually search up in TikTok. The short form content helps you find some real life examples of what other people are doing.
Screen Time:
My screen time initially went down! Without the doom scrolling TikTok allows for, I did find myself opting to spend my time differently. My phone became much more boring without the exciting flow of customized videos TikTok gave me. At times I would be spending 2 hours or more on TikTok, and I definitely think it was having an impact on my attention span.
Reels:
Eventually I started doom-scrolling on Reels as I had on TikTok. One good thing was my Reels weren’t nearly as customized. This lack of customization made me not want to scroll for as long. Additionally, I wouldn’t want to like videos because of the Reel feature that lets you see who has liked certain videos.
Moving Forward in Moderation:
Now that I once again have TikTok, I hope to move forward in moderation. Overconsumption of anything is not good, and social media is no different. After this involuntary experience, I am hoping to take advantage of more voluntary chances to step away from doom scrolling on TikTok.