Study Examines How Tik Tok Affects Mental Health
Recent studies indicate that the popular social media app, TikTok, has both advantageous and unfavorable effects on the mental well-being of its users.
According to research conducted by the University of Minnesota, TikTok offers a feeling of belonging and personal exploration to its users, however, it also frequently presents them with harmful material.
Study found that TikTok, due to its distinctive algorithm, functioned as both a "sanctuary" and an "impediment" for its users.
The researchers carried out 16 interviews, ranging from 60 to 90 minutes, with individuals between the ages of 16 to 54 who engaged with mental health-related content on TikTok. The participants were recruited through social media.
Stevie Chancellor, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, stated in a press release that most people associate TikTok with dancing or being a platform where people receive ADHD diagnoses. However, users must also take into account the app's algorithm, its functionality, and when it presents content that may be detrimental to their mental health.
According to a press release from the researchers, TikTok operates on a recommendation system that showcases content on a "For You" page, rather than displaying posts from accounts that users follow.
Although this personalized approach is beneficial for certain users by reducing feelings of isolation, as per the researchers say, it can also lure other users into a "rabbit hole" of content that could be harmful.
In a press release, Ashlee Milton, the first author of the study and a Ph.D. student in computer science and engineering at the University of Minnesota, stated that TikTok is a significant platform for mental health content, and many participants emphasized the usefulness of such information. However, due to the way the feed functions, the app can continue presenting similar content to users, ultimately causing distress and triggering negative emotions.
Although TikTok provides a "not interested" button, participants stated that their feeds continued to suggest harmful mental health content. As a result, some individuals had to take breaks or quit the app entirely due to the distressing videos they were being exposed to.
Certain participants found it challenging to comprehend the creators' intentions on TikTok, noting that some creators post content for mental health awareness, while others do it to gain followers and likes.
TikTok has not publicly disclosed the specifics of its algorithm. However, experts believe that the app's algorithm prioritizes content that receives the most engagement and is related to users' prior interests, which would likely appear in their feeds.
Chancellor mentioned that she and Ashlee are keen on understanding how platforms could promote harmful behaviors, to eventually create approaches that help prevent such negative outcomes.