Analysts at Bernstein Research are equating social media video app TikTok with drug addiction, warning about a “digital crack epidemic” as competition heats up in the sector.
“Cocaine’s effects take time to set in, while crack’s effect is instantaneous, but wears off quickly, driving the user to seek another ‘hit.’ Crack is incredibly addictive.”
As other platforms attempt to compete against TikTok, the situation is turning out to be a “digital crack epidemic.” Following the popularity of TikTok, Instagram launched Reels in 2020, Snapchat released Spotlight, YouTube released Shorts, and Netflix launched Fast Laughs.
Analysts predict a potential downside due to the popularity of short-form video apps—an erosion of human attention span that can affect advertisers and content creators. Short videos can “structurally dilute the monetization of user time” across the digital advertising industry, the analysts warned.
They also see some of the text and image-heavy news feeds on social media platforms to soon be replaced by short videos.
If these platforms cannot figure out how to monetize such videos using direct response ads, the consequences can be “severe,” the note said. Direct response ads prompt users to act on the ad, like clicking, signing up, and initiating a purchase.
TikTok Addiction
The potential of TikTok being addictive has been explored by several studies in recent times. A study published at ScienceDirect in June 2022 found 6.4 percent of TikTok users as being “at-risk” of addiction, with a further 25.4 percent classified as being at “low risk.”TikTok users found to be “at-risk” tended to score higher in measures of extraversion and loneliness. Female users of the app were also more likely to be classified as “at-risk” than male users.
Demographically, Americans between the ages of 10 and 19 make up the top user base of TikTok in the country, at 32.5 percent. This is followed by 20–29 years, at 29.5 percent; 30–39 years, at 16.4 percent; 40–49 years, at 13.9 percent; and 50-plus, at 7.1 percent.
