TikTok can now help stop your infinite scrolling

The app lets you “schedule a break” after a set period of time. | Image: TikTok

TikTok is adding a series of new features that are designed to stop you from disappearing inside its infinite feed of addictive short-form videos, the service has announced. A new tool will show a reminder after using the app for a prolonged, user-defined period of time, adding a new safeguard to existing daily limits. Teenage users (between the ages of 13 and 17) will be prompted to use the screen time limiting tool if they spend over 100 minutes in the app in a single day.

TikTok is also adding a new screen time dashboard that shows a summary of app usage. Statistics include the amount of time the app has been opened, a breakdown of daytime and nighttime usage, and an overall counter for the amount of time spent in the app daily.

Image: TikTok
The service’s new screen time dashboard.

TikTok’s new features follow the addition of similar tools to other apps like Instagram and Netflix that are designed to help users manage the time they spend on them. Apple and Google also allow app limits to be set on iOS and Android. They’re helpful additions for services whose advertising-based business models can incentivize maximizing user attention.