Johannesburg - While the short-form video-sharing app TikTok might not have the same 'oomph' it had in previous years, it is evident many are still addicted to it. The app's latest feature can show how addicted you really are.
For many years TikTok has encouraged the use of its Screen Time Management feature for its many users who tend to spend too much time being lost in the infinite scroll of random videos.
However, the Beijing-headquartered company’s solution to the problem will be released soon, in the form of a dashboard that will assist users in better understanding just how much time they spend on the app.
TikTok said that summaries of users' daily time spent on the app, the number of times they opened the app, and a breakdown of daytime and night-time usage, will be available within the dashboard.
Jordan Furlong, TikTok's product manager for Digital Well-being, said that in the coming weeks, the tool would allow people to control how much time they spend on TikTok in a single sitting by enabling regular screen time breaks.
"These prompts will remind people to take a break after a certain amount of uninterrupted screen time, which they can set as they choose," Furlong added.
Internet Matter CEO Carolyn Bunting said that research showed younger users would welcome the introduction of built-in features and settings that prompt them to think critically about the time they are spending online and encourage them to use settings to manage the time they spend on the app actively.
"It is important that they feel in control of their online experiences and are helped to make considered choices. We look forward to TikTok developing further features that will put children's wellbeing at the heart of their design choices," Bunting said, commenting on the new feature.
To check your screen time status or manage your usage of TikTok:
1. Tap the profile icon on the bottom-right of the screen within the app
2. Tap the three lines at the top-right of the profile screen and select "Settings and privacy."
3. Next, tap "Digital Wellbeing" and "Screen Time Management."
In recent years, TikTok has played launchpad for thousands of creators within its app who have become a set of new-age influencers and celebrities. The trend has been mirrored in South Africa, where scores of creators have reached fame by far exceeding millions of followers.
Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post recently reported that TikTok's parent company, Bytedance, is responsible for a string of other hit apps, including its Chinese version, Douyin, which had dropped in private valuation by $100bn (about R1.5 trillion) to $300bn, this is after it was reported to surpass the $400bn late last year.
IOL Business