As I scrolled through my for you page on TikTok, I came across a video that told me with kindhearted intentions to stop scrolling and log off the app or else 20 years of my life would disappear before I realized it. I couldn’t have agreed more with this content creator. However, I continued scrolling.
According to Resilience Lab, doomscrolling is the “excessive consumption of vertical, short-form videos for a long period of time, without knowing the amount of time passed. Regardless of which social media platform, our feed is determined by an algorithm that analyzes our interactions and interests in videos we watch. Thus, the content that we find captivating appears throughout our page, creating an addictive source of dopamine from watching short video after short video. The intention to only watch a few videos quickly turns to 200 videos as we all know it’s difficult to escape this endless void.
Many of us continue to scroll through our feeds but fail to realize the detrimental consequences that arise with such an unhealthy habit. As social media content continues to evolve, we begin to draw towards short-form content that is frank and direct. According to Oxford University, a survey conducted by TikTok revealed that nearly 50 percent of users felt “stressed” during videos longer than one minute. At this point, it is obvious that our attention spans as students are already decreasing at a rapid rate at such an early point in our lives. Media platforms purposely promote shorter videos to provide users with a constant flow of satisfaction and enjoyment. They make their app an endless addiction. Each appealing video we come across releases dopamine into our brains, stimulating continuous pleasure that leads to addiction.
Short attention span also indirectly affects student academic performance. Whether in the classroom listening to a lecture or at home completing homework, our diminishing focus prevents us from retaining information and even finishing our work on time. We are addicted to instant gratification and constantly scrolling through short clips satisfies our “feel good” craving. In a study conducted by Ohio State University and the University of Nebraska, a group of students were instructed to check their phones during a lecture and another group was told to have their phones away. Researchers found that the group who put their phones away wrote 62 percent more notes and scored 1.5 grade letters higher than those who had their phone out during the lecture.
This may seem like the user’s problem, but it’s the app itself. Our body is naturally drawn to dopamine and short-form content online fulfills this desire quickly and conveniently. Thus, TikTok and other major social media platforms need to do better in protecting the well-being of our future generation. It’s affecting our learning environment, and at this rate, our attention span will become that of a goldfish’s (9 seconds long). TikTok and Instagram Reels claim to include videos that remind us to stop scrolling and take a break, but that simply isn’t enough. A mandatory screen time policy should be implemented to protect the mental health of young adolescents who are still developing and maturing. Individuals should also be encouraged to utilize their screen time function on their phones to limit app usage. I strongly believe that short-form media should be banned due to its increasingly detrimental effect on children and even adults. Although there is nothing preventing users from not finishing the video and just scrolling to the next, self-control is the best solution to prevent a user’s attention span from diminishing.
While I recognize these videos can combat our boredom, our strong draw towards doomscrolling is plaguing young minds across the nation. We can’t have people with a 30 second attention span run our government or major corporations. I hope social media platforms can work with educators and even students alike to find a solution for this pressing issue.
There are countless ways to get the dopamine you need in a healthy manner. Go out and play a sport or hangout with your friends at the mall. Practice self-control and limit yourself from using apps that promote short videos. Next time you come across a video telling you to stop scrolling, listen to it and I will too. Seriously, touch some grass and finish your homework.
