New TikTok feature allows users to set screen time reminders

The new feature has been compared to Netflix’s ‘are you still there?’ prompt, which draws viewers’ attention to how long they’ve been sat in one spot, staring at a screen.

So whether you’re trying to minimise screen time before bed, cut down on social media in general, or only watch a few clips each day – you can set the app to remind you that your 10-30 minute fill is up.

It is the latest in a series of time-focused features already available on TikTok, such as a dashboard report page that indicates how many times users have opened the app and how long they’ve spent scrolling.

Since Gen-Z spends most of their waking hours looking at screens and over half of feel bad about their social media and screen time dependency, these kinds of features can help users become aware of how their time is being eaten up by blue light.

As the lines between the digital and real world become increasingly blurred, ditching social media altogether isn’t likely. Much of what happens online influences the real life – from culture, to memes, phraseology, fashion, music, and more.

With platform interfaces continuously updated with new opportunities to share, connect, and engage, it’s not like Gen-Z – or other generations for that matter – will be logging out permanently anytime soon.

So it’s great to see app designers acknowledging that while their formats create a seamless and enjoyable user experience, they also have a responsibility to stop us from falling into detrimental, addictive digital habits.

As users become more concerns with how screen time affects their ability to get important things done, it wouldn’t be surprising to see other platforms adopting time-sensitive features in the future too.