TikTok knows its app is extremely addicting

I didn't believe my TikTok loving friends when they tried to warn me how addicting the platform could be. I'd held off using it for a long time, but immediately upon scrolling through videos for the first time, I understood how far from exaggeration their claims were.

TikTok is addicting on purpose, and according to new reports, they've known it all along. According to NPR, a person can get hooked on the app in under 35 minutes of video watching. And that's just one of many discoveries that have led to a state lawsuit against the social media company.

Allegedly, according to a multi-year investigation, over 90% of smartphone users 17 and under use TikTok, and the app's renowned algorithm prioritizes "beautiful people."

Many people -- myself included -- have come to realize just how addicting this For You page really is. The endless scroll provides that sort of dopamine rush many of us are seeking when we pick up our phones for a "quick" break from work or other activities. There's also a feature where you can hide everything but the video itself (no buttons or text) -- making the experience so immersive that time simply disappears.

Anything that leaves you hooked like that, possibly for hours on end, can't possibly be good for your mental health. Or physical health. Or social well-being. The fact that TikTok has known this, as well as the potentially harmful effects it has on its users, is one of many reasons for the resulting lawsuit. Especially due to the amount of people under 17 using the app regularly.

And we're only talking extensively about one of the allegations here. There is so much more to discuss, possibly at a later date when I've had time to process why I'm surprised that an algorithm favors pretty people over everyone else.