I opened TikTok today to see what’s happening in the world, according to the algorithm. It went as follows:

• Random video about the UK Hot Weather
• Ad
• Something to do with Lego
• Ad
• Video about couples
• Hotel review
• Commissioned video, Someone trying to sell a fan
• Greenscreened michael jackson video with text about the heat
• Ad

That was the first 30 seconds of me launching the app. I’m starting to think if I continue to use the app more regularly, maybe my opinion would change on Ad-Free TikTok.

Probably not, but still.

Anyway, I asked myself at this point: “what am I actually doing on this app, and how is it that 30 minutes can disappear without me noticing?”

The answer is simple: there’s no end.

It’s a constant chase of trying to find a funny/useful/relatable video -> maybe checking the comments or making one -> moving on -> find the next funny/useful relatable video.

This is infinite scrolling, where a page doesn’t really meet an end. Instead, more content loads in automatically as you move down, making it feel seamless. It has been around for a long time. Websites started doing it years ago, then social media perfected it… now it feels like the internet has quietly agreed that reaching the bottom of a page was a design flaw.

Thankfully, unlike TikTok and modern websites, this post does have an end.

So you can have your time back now.

As for me, I’ll be practising the art of showing restraint and not swiping up to see what’s next.

Likely unsuccessfully.

Wait… what’s the time again?