Since the early days of the pandemic, as many people were forced to be stuck at home, TikTok
has emerged as one of the most popular apps. These trending short videos of special effects, of
entertainment, and of choreographed dances offer people an opportunity to reach out to people
because of the lockdown. Multiple studies, however, have shown that too much of TikTok can also
be damaging to the brain.
    Like many social media apps, TikTok too uses algorithms to quickly figure out what a user likes.
Before a user is even aware, the highly personalized TikTok algorithm fuels the “For You” feed and
makes the app even more addictive to the users. TikTok allows users to create an unlimited stream of
new content, watch trends come and go on a daily basis, and find something new with just a quick
swipe. The “For You” page actually keeps users’ attention by creating a constant sense of curiosity
and excitement about what may come up next. As these videos on TikTok are short, users can
determine whether they want to stay watching or quickly move onto something else—something they
might find more interesting or stimulating.
    This is where the problems arise. As this constant need for faster information, new content and
exciting daily trends is only continuing to grow, numerous studies have indicated a dramatic decrease
in the attention span of people over time. Apart from that, emerging research suggests that watching
short, fast-paced videos on TikTok makes it even more challenging for young children or adolescents
to sustain activities that do not guarantee instant—and constant—gratification. While these highly
personalized videos the app’s recommendation engine shows users activate the reward centers of the
brain, as compared with the general-interest videos shown to new users, dopamine, as a
neurotransmitter, gets released in the brain when it is expecting a reward. When a user watches many
videos that he or she enjoys, a sudden rush of dopamine will be released into the user’s brain, and this
will reinforce craving for something stimulating, such as another funny TikTok video. The dopamine
rush of endless short videos makes it even more difficult for young viewers to switch their focus to
slower-moving activities that require more sustained, undivided attention.
    Researchers are just beginning to conduct long-term studies on digital media’s effects on young
children’s brains. The focus is now on the impact that TikTok might have on children’s brain
development, particularly their cognitive development. Although the results are not in yet, many
scholars and parents are already predicting that for the children of the future generation, their ability
to process less-rapid, less-rewarding things may change or be harmed. But the trend might be
irreversible. Parents are thus advised to schedule with children regular times each day when the app
cannot be used, or even set time limits for younger kids directly with the help from technology.
【題組】41. Which of the following titles is the best for this passage?
(A) TikTok Brain Explained
(B) TikTok, the Last Frontier
(C) TikTok, the New Brain Juice for Everybody
(D) TikTok: the Saviour of COVID-19 Pandemic
(E) A Conversation with the Mastermind Behind TikTok