Psychologists worry about TikTok's negative impact on young people

In an interview with Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, Jonathan Haidt, professor of psychology at NYU Stern School of Business and author of the book 'The Anxious Generation', shared his deep concerns about TikTok's negative impact on the younger generation.

"TikTok is causing serious harm to children. On the contrary, the Chinese version of TikTok is completely different. It is designed to promote social values, is more educational and does not cause negative consequences for the generation of children here like in the West," he said.

TikTok does not operate in China. Instead, users in the country use a version called Douyin, which was developed specifically for the domestic market.

Douyin is regulated to strictly comply with Chinese laws and regulations, including strict censorship rules set by the Chinese Communist Party. Content on Douyin is often more educational, cultural and social in nature, in line with the government's policy of targeting young users.

Although TikTok and Douyin are both owned by tech company ByteDance, the two apps are operated independently to cater to the needs and conditions of different markets.

TikTok targets a global audience, while Douyin is focused entirely on the Chinese market and is directly regulated by domestic authorities. This separation reflects not only differences in legal regulations but also a strategy of customizing products to meet the cultural and social needs of each region.

Douyin users tend to have a higher average age than TikTok users, and the app has rolled out a number of strong measures to reduce the risk of online addiction.

One of Douyin's notable features is its "teen mode," which is specifically designed for users under 14. This mode limits usage time to just 40 minutes a day and automatically locks the app from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., helping to ensure children have a healthier schedule.

A less strict version of “teen mode” is applied to users between the ages of 14 and 18. This mode limits the content they can access, particularly through the search function, to ensure that teens access more appropriate and safer content.

This helps guide responsible online experiences while minimizing the risk of exposure to age-inappropriate content.

According to a report from Business Insider, Douyin is committed to providing "useful" content specifically for users in youth mode. This content includes general knowledge and educational materials, aiming to improve understanding and support the comprehensive development of young people.

The changes come in 2021 as the Chinese government implements a series of measures to limit the time children spend online.

In the US, TikTok says it has implemented strict safeguards to keep young users safe, including removing accounts suspected of belonging to underage users.

"We voluntarily implement many safety features, such as default screen time limits, family pairing, and default privacy settings for minors under 16," a TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider.

TikTok also applies a 60-minute daily usage limit for users under 18, to encourage healthy and controlled device usage habits. This is one of TikTok's efforts to protect children and minimize the potential negative impacts of social media use.

However, TikTok is facing increasing legal pressure as Attorneys General from 14 US states have filed lawsuits against the platform, alleging that TikTok exploits and harms the mental health of children.

Documents released during the investigation show that some TikTok executives were well aware that the app’s algorithm was highly addictive and could have a negative psychological impact on children, raising deep concerns about the platform’s responsibility to protect young users.

Jonathan Haidt's book 'Generation Anxious' delves into the impact of social media and smartphones on young people. He argues that apps like TikTok are eroding teenagers' ability to concentrate, which not only makes it difficult to learn but also limits their growth potential and creativity.

Professor Haidt stressed that constant distractions from online platforms are reducing the opportunity for young people to actually develop important real-world skills.

“We are well aware that TikTok is having a negative impact on the development of young people,” he said, pointing out that China has the ability to interfere with the platform’s content and operations. “Therefore, I believe TikTok poses a serious threat to the national security of the United States and other Western countries,” he continued.

The platform was temporarily down for US users on January 18, but quickly returned on January 19 after President Donald Trump announced that he would sign an executive order to postpone the ban.

Shortly after his inauguration on January 20, Mr. Trump decided to pause the ban for 75 days. TikTok said it would work closely with President Donald Trump to find a "permanent solution" that would allow the platform to continue operating in the United States without legal obstacles.

Phan Van Hoa