<story><title>TikTok overtakes Facebook as most downloaded app</title><url>https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/TikTok-overtakes-Facebook-as-world-s-most-downloaded-app</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>reggieband</author><text>I like to think of TikTok as the crack cocaine of addictive social media. I used to think my dopamine receptors were burned out by the constant barrage of memes I received from reddit, Facebook and Twitter but TikTok proves they can refine that product to make it even more potent.&lt;p&gt;When I visit reddit now it feels behind in the same way Facebook used to feel behind. Facebook&amp;#x27;s video feature (which they shove into my feed as the third or fourth card during scrolling) is 90% stuff stolen from and that I already saw a few days ago on TikTok. But absent their algorithm it isn&amp;#x27;t nearly as effective.&lt;p&gt;I often have to remind myself how good TikTok&amp;#x27;s algorithm is. After using it for just a couple of days I can tell it knows more about me than I am comfortable with, even though I just scroll the FYP (For You Page) without logging into an account. The unbelievably narrow category of content it serves me clearly panders to my personality in a way that almost lets me believe I have a majority opinion. It creates a nearly perfectly personally tailored media bubble.&lt;p&gt;A lot of people from my generation (Gen X) and even from the older Millennial&amp;#x27;s don&amp;#x27;t use it, thinking it is just for the kids. That is probably for the best. If you are susceptible to media addiction I suggest never downloading it. TikTok: Not Even Once.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>cruano</author><text>&amp;gt; I like to think of TikTok as the crack cocaine of addictive social media.&lt;p&gt;I&amp;#x27;d compare it more to something like coffee, somehow every time I leave TikTok I&amp;#x27;m happier than I was before. This did not happen with Facebook, Instagram, etc.</text></comment>
<story><title>TikTok overtakes Facebook as most downloaded app</title><url>https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/TikTok-overtakes-Facebook-as-world-s-most-downloaded-app</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>reggieband</author><text>I like to think of TikTok as the crack cocaine of addictive social media. I used to think my dopamine receptors were burned out by the constant barrage of memes I received from reddit, Facebook and Twitter but TikTok proves they can refine that product to make it even more potent.&lt;p&gt;When I visit reddit now it feels behind in the same way Facebook used to feel behind. Facebook&amp;#x27;s video feature (which they shove into my feed as the third or fourth card during scrolling) is 90% stuff stolen from and that I already saw a few days ago on TikTok. But absent their algorithm it isn&amp;#x27;t nearly as effective.&lt;p&gt;I often have to remind myself how good TikTok&amp;#x27;s algorithm is. After using it for just a couple of days I can tell it knows more about me than I am comfortable with, even though I just scroll the FYP (For You Page) without logging into an account. The unbelievably narrow category of content it serves me clearly panders to my personality in a way that almost lets me believe I have a majority opinion. It creates a nearly perfectly personally tailored media bubble.&lt;p&gt;A lot of people from my generation (Gen X) and even from the older Millennial&amp;#x27;s don&amp;#x27;t use it, thinking it is just for the kids. That is probably for the best. If you are susceptible to media addiction I suggest never downloading it. TikTok: Not Even Once.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>smoldesu</author><text>&amp;gt;I like to think of TikTok as the crack cocaine of addictive social media.&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt;If you are susceptible to media addiction I suggest never downloading it.&lt;p&gt;These are the two big takeaways I&amp;#x27;ve had from using the app for a day. Everything about it is designed to be a sinkhole, like a modern casino where they&amp;#x27;re gambling with your attention. I know a lot of people who use Facebook&amp;#x2F;Instagram&amp;#x2F;TikTok compulsively, and it ruins them to a degree. I think (or hope, at least) the future is headed towards more personal communique (a-la Discord, Slack, Matrix, etc.)</text></comment>