TikTok Made Social Media Worse for Everyone (Even If You Don't Use It)
I don't even use TikTok. But it ruined my Instagram anyway.
Last month, I opened Instagram to check in with my family—remember, I'm a yacht surveyor in the Caribbean, they're in the UK, 4,000 miles away. Social media is how we stay connected.
But instead of seeing their posts, I got 15 consecutive Reels from people I don't follow. Cooking hacks. Pranks. Dance trends. Zero content from anyone I actually know.
That's when it hit me: TikTok didn't just ruin TikTok. It ruined everything.
The 2020 Turning Point
I've been on Facebook since 2009. Instagram since 2012. For 15 years, I watched these platforms slowly change. But nothing prepared me for what happened in 2020.
TikTok proved something devastating: addiction is incredibly profitable.
Here's what they discovered:
The Perfect Dopamine Loop
Average TikTok session: 52 minutes
Average Instagram session before Reels: 28 minutes
Average Instagram session after Reels: 37 minutes and climbing
TikTok's algorithm is different. It's not showing you people you follow. It's showing you whatever keeps you scrolling longest. Every time you watch a video to the end, every time you rewatch, every micro-pause—the algorithm learns.
And here's the thing: it works.
What I Found When I Dug Into This
I'm not a tech person—I'm a yacht surveyor who built websites and topped Google rankings back when that was possible. But after 15 years watching these platforms deteriorate, I needed to understand what happened.
So I spent three days researching and analysing my own usage data.
What I found honestly horrified me.
Finding 1: The Algorithm Doesn't Serve You—It Serves Time
The old model (Instagram 2012-2019):
- Show posts from people you follow
- Chronological order
- You see friends, you catch up, you close the app
- Average session: 15-20 minutes
The TikTok model (2020-present):
- Show whatever keeps you watching
- Hyper-personalised to your exact triggers
- Infinite scroll with no natural stopping point
- You look up and an hour has passed
Here's what a former TikTok engineer told The Wall Street Journal in 2021:
"If you watch a video about breakups, we'll show you 10 more. If you watch one to the end, we know we've got you. The goal is to maximise time spent, not maximise value received."
Translation: They're not serving your interests. They're serving your addictions.
Finding 2: Everyone Copied It (And Made Their Platforms Worse)
The moment TikTok's numbers went public, every other platform panicked.
The Timeline:
2020: TikTok reaches 100 million US users, average session time 52 minutes
August 2020: Instagram launches Reels
September 2020: YouTube launches Shorts
November 2020: Facebook tries... something
They didn't just add features. They fundamentally changed how the algorithms work.
Instagram before TikTok:
- Mostly content from people you follow
- Minimal suggested content
- You could still see your mates' posts
- Session ends naturally when you've caught up
Instagram after copying TikTok:
- 50% content from people you follow
- 38% advertising
- 11% suggested content from strangers
- No natural end point—just keeps feeding you content
(I know these numbers because I sat down and counted every single item for an hour. The results were worse than I expected.)
The result? I'm 4,000 miles from my family and the platforms that are supposed to keep us connected now actively hide their posts from me.
Finding 3: It's Not an Accident—It's the Business Model
Here's what really gets me: This wasn't gradual decay. These were specific, documented decisions.
The research is clear. Multiple 2023 studies found that TikTok's algorithm is intentionally designed to create addictive behaviour patterns:
- Variable rewards: You never know what you'll see next (slot machine psychology)
- Infinite scroll: No stopping point, no sense of completion (I wrote about why finite feeds matter)
- Hyper-personalisation: Learns your exact psychological triggers
- Immediate gratification: 15-60 second hits of dopamine
And when TikTok's numbers proved this worked? Every platform copied it.
Not because users wanted it. Because shareholders wanted it.
Finding 4: The Mental Health Crisis That Followed
The timing isn't coincidental.
2020: TikTok's algorithm becomes the industry standard
2021: US Surgeon General declares youth mental health crisis
2022: Studies link social media addiction to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders
2023: Surgeon General issues advisory specifically on social media's impact on youth mental health
2024: Average screen time hits 7 hours per day for young adults
I'm not saying TikTok caused all of this. But they perfected the formula that made it worse.
Finding 5: Even TikTok's Own Research Showed the Damage
This is the bit that really got me.
In 2022, internal TikTok documents leaked to reporters showed that the company's own research found:
- Users spending 260 minutes per day formed "compulsive usage patterns"
- The algorithm specifically targets vulnerable mental states
- They knew it was addictive and chose not to change it
One internal memo literally said: "We're aware of the addiction risk but prioritised engagement metrics."
They knew. They didn't care.
Why This Affects You (Even If You Don't Use TikTok)
Here's what I realised: You can delete TikTok. But unless you delete Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook too, you're still living with TikTok's legacy.
Because they didn't just build an addictive app. They proved to every platform that addiction works.
Now every social media platform operates on the same principle:
- Maximise time spent
- Minimise user control
- Serve algorithm over people
- Ignore mental health concerns
Instagram before: "Here are photos from your friends"
Instagram after TikTok: "Here's an endless stream of content designed to keep you here"
The Business Model Problem
I've run businesses. I understand profit motives. But here's what frustrates me:
The old model:
1. Connect people
2. They find value
3. They keep coming back
4. Show them relevant ads
5. Everyone wins
The TikTok model:
1. Hook them psychologically
2. Keep them scrolling endlessly
3. Show them ads for stuff they don't need
4. Ignore negative mental health impacts
5. Shareholders win, users lose
This wasn't about improving the product. It was about maximising addiction to maximise profit. (I wrote a deep dive on why social media without ads is the only way forward if you want to understand the business model problem.)
What This Means for Real People
Let me bring this back to reality.
My situation:
- I need social media to stay connected with family 4,000 miles away
- Instagram and Facebook used to work for this
- Now it actively hides my family's posts
- Instead it shows me strangers doing dances
- I waste an hour and still haven't seen what my nephew posted
Your situation probably:
- You open Instagram to check on friends
- 20 minutes later you're watching cooking videos
- You haven't seen a single friend's post
- You feel worse, not better
- You know it's a waste of time but you keep doing it
That's not your fault. It's designed to work that way.
The Specific Changes You're Experiencing
Let me break down exactly what changed after TikTok:
Instagram Feed:
- Used to be chronological
- Now it's "algorithmic" (meaning: whatever keeps you longest)
- Friends' posts buried beneath Reels
- No way to switch back to chronological
YouTube:
- Shorts now take up half the homepage
- Autoplay you can't disable
- Videos you didn't search for
- Recommendation rabbit holes designed for addiction
Facebook:
- Only 38% content from people and groups you follow
- 40% suggested content from strangers
- 22% advertising
- Video content pushed aggressively
(Again, I counted this myself—40% of my Facebook feed was content from complete strangers I never chose to follow.)
Every single one of these changes happened after TikTok proved addiction was profitable.
What You Can Actually Do About This
Right. Deep breath. Here's where I offer some hope.
Immediate actions:
1. Set screen time limits
- iPhone: Settings → Screen Time
- Android: Settings → Digital Wellbeing
- Set 15-20 minute daily limits for each app
- Actually enforce them
2. Turn off algorithmic features where possible
- Instagram: Switch to "Following" feed (buried in settings)
- YouTube: Turn off watch history (stops recommendations)
- Facebook: Unfollow pages, join fewer groups
3. Delete the worst offenders
- Be honest: Which apps make you feel worst?
- Try deleting for one week
- Notice how you feel
Medium-term solutions:
1. Move to less addictive platforms
- For messaging: Signal, WhatsApp (encrypted at least)
- For staying in touch: Small private groups
- For following interests: RSS feeds, newsletters
2. Build direct communication channels
- Start a WhatsApp group with close family
- Use actual phone calls (I know, revolutionary)
- Send photos directly, not through platforms
3. Recognise you're not addicted—the platform is addictive
- This matters psychologically
- You're not weak or lacking willpower
- You're experiencing designed behaviour manipulation
What I'm Doing About It
Full disclosure: I'm building Snugg because I got so fed up with this.
What Snugg is:
- Small private groups for real people
- Chronological feed (your posts, in order, that's it)
- No algorithm deciding what you see
- No ads (ever)
- End-to-end encrypted
- A finite feed where you can actually be "caught up"
What Snugg isn't:
- A TikTok replacement
- A platform for millions
- Trying to maximise your time spent
- Funded by advertising
I'm not trying to get you addicted. I'm trying to give you back control.
Because after 15 years watching these platforms deteriorate, I'm through with waiting for them to fix it. They won't. The business model prevents it.
The Uncomfortable Truth
I've come to realise:
TikTok didn't invent a new feature. They perfected a trap.
And every other platform saw the trap working and copied it. Not because it's better for users—the mental health data proves it isn't. But because it's more profitable.
The platforms know it's addictive. They have the research. They made the choice.
And now we're all living with the consequences. Even those of us who never downloaded TikTok in the first place.
Where Do We Go From Here?
I don't have all the answers. But I know what I want:
Social media that:
- Connects me with people I care about
- Respects my time and attention
- Doesn't manipulate my psychology
- Lets me decide what I see
- Doesn't track everything I do
Instagram in 2012 was almost this. Facebook in 2009 was close. TikTok proved there was more money in addiction, and everyone followed. (I documented the full timeline of when social media got this bad if you want to see exactly when these changes happened.)
So I'm building what should exist.
Not a platform for billions. Not the next viral app. Just a place where small groups of real people can actually stay connected without being exploited.
Because 4,000 miles is far enough. I don't need algorithms making it feel further.
Key Takeaways
What happened:
- TikTok built an intentionally addictive algorithm
- It worked (52 minute average sessions)
- Every other platform copied it
- Now all social media is designed for addiction, not connection
Why it matters:
- Even if you don't use TikTok, you're experiencing its legacy
- Instagram, YouTube, Facebook all changed after 2020
- Mental health crisis followed
- Platforms knew and chose profit over people
What you can do:
- Set strict time limits
- Turn off algorithmic feeds where possible
- Move to less manipulative platforms
- Build direct communication with people you care about
- Recognise this is designed behaviour, not personal weakness
What needs to change:
- Business models that prioritise time spent over user wellbeing
- Algorithmic manipulation that overrides user choice
- Platforms that hide real friends to show strangers
- The entire attention economy
Final Thoughts
I'm not anti-technology. I built my business on the internet. I live 4,000 miles from my family—I need these tools.
But somewhere between 2009 and now, social media stopped being about connecting people and started being about capturing attention.
TikTok perfected the formula. Everyone copied it. And now we're all struggling with platforms designed to keep us hooked rather than keep us connected.
You're not imagining it. It really did get worse. And it happened because TikTok proved addiction was profitable.
So what now?
We can keep using these platforms knowing they're designed to manipulate us. Or we can demand better. Build better. Use better.
I'm choosing to build better. Because my family's in Scotland, I'm in the Caribbean, and I want social media that brings us closer—not platforms that keep us scrolling whilst keeping us apart.
Want to be part of building something better?
I'm building Snugg—social media that connects rather than addict. Small groups, chronological posts, no ads, end-to-end encrypted.
It's not trying to replace TikTok. It's trying to bring back what we lost when everyone copied TikTok.
Join the waitlist: https://snugg.social
Sources & Further Reading
1. Snugg Blog - "I Counted Every Ad on Instagram and Facebook for One Hour" (2026)
/blog/instagram-47-ads-per-hour - Original research showing Instagram is 50% followed content, 38% ads, 11% suggested; Facebook is 38% followed content, 40% suggested, 22% ads.
2. Wall Street Journal - "Investigation: How TikTok's Algorithm Figures Out Your Deepest Desires" (2021)
https://www.wsj.com/video/series/inside-tiktoks-highly-secretive-algorithm/investigation-how-tiktok-algorithm-figures-out-your-deepest-desires/6C0C2040-FF25-4827-8528-2EB6612ED99C
3. US Surgeon General - "Social Media and Youth Mental Health: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory" (2023)
https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/reports-and-publications/youth-mental-health/social-media/index.html
4. NPR - "TikTok knows its app is harming kids, new internal documents show" (2024)
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/11/g-s1-27676/tiktok-redacted-documents-in-teen-safety-lawsuit-revealed
5. NPR - "Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people" (2024)
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/12/g-s1-28040/teens-tiktok-addiction-lawsuit-investigation-documents
6. Nebraska Attorney General - "Released Excerpts from Internal TikTok Documents"
https://ago.nebraska.gov/news/released-excerpts-internal-tiktok-documents
7. 5Rights Foundation - "TikTok knows it is harming children" (2025)
https://5rightsfoundation.com/tiktok-knows-it-is-harming-children/
8. American Academy of Pediatrics - "Surgeon general advisory warns of social media's effects on youth mental health" (2023)
https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/24543/Surgeon-general-advisory-warns-of-social-media-s
9. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction - "The Role of TikTok in Students' Health and Wellbeing" (2024)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11469-023-01224-6
10. SAGE Journals - "'I Can Spend Forever on It Without Getting Bored': Analyzing What College Students Like and Dislike About TikTok" (2024)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09760911231211835
About Snugg: We're building a private social platform for small groups. No ads, no tracking, no surveillance. Just end-to-end encrypted conversations with the people you actually care about.
Learn more: snugg.social
Questions: hello@snugg.social
About the Author - Sam Bartlett
I'm a yacht surveyor based in the Caribbean and the founder of Snugg. After 15 years watching social media platforms prioritize ads over genuine connection, I decided to build the alternative. I previously built and ran a successful sailing holiday business, topping Google search results for years before algorithm changes destroyed organic reach. I'm not a developer or privacy activist—just someone who got tired of platforms that forgot their purpose. When I'm not building Snugg or surveying yachts, I wish everyone had more time for sailing in beautiful places (or whatever brings you joy).
Connect with me:
- Twitter: @snugg_social
- LinkedIn: Sam Bartlett
- Email: hello@capitainesam.com