TikTok, which has been criticized for having an algorithm so addictive that many teens say they are on the app constantly, is bringing in a screen time limit for younger users—though it's not one that will be strictly enforced. The company says that in changes that will be rolled out in the coming weeks, users 13 to 17 years old will have a 60-minute daily screen time limit. TikTok says when the time is up, users will have to enter a passcode to continue viewing videos, "requiring them to make an active decision," CNBC reports. TikTok says those under 18 will receive a weekly "recap of their screen time" and they will be asked to set limits if they use the app for more than 100 minutes a day. More:
- "The crack cocaine of algorithms." Imran Ahmed, chief executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, says TikTok "bombards" teens with potentially harmful content and it needs to "clean up" its feeds as well as limit screen time, the BBC reports. "TikTok has won the race for the hearts and minds of 14 to 24-year-olds in the United States and the United Kingdom," he says. "It is the crack cocaine of algorithms. It is the most addictive, it is the most dangerous and the one that needs to be dealt with most urgently."