In an algorithmically driven app like Douyin, it's common that you might blink and, surprisingly, realize that hours have passed. But little did people know, Douyin also operates a digital wellbeing system to keep the users away from the app to curb smartphone addiction, in attempts to brighten its brand image and address user concerns. Douyin records an average of 80 minutes of usage per user per day, while TikTok has occupied its users 19.6 hours every month, which is ahead of Facebook and its other three major apps: Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger, according to a report by App Annie, a mobile industry data aggregator.Īs a service that contributes over half of ByteDance’s 2020 yearly revenue, Douyin has its nature to keep its users staying and scrolling. Anyone who has ever spent five minutes on the apps knows how easy it can be to get hooked and lose track of time. With 600 million daily active users, Douyin, owned by Chinese internet giant ByteDance, was essential in reshaping Chinese people’s, particularly younger generations’ lives.ĭouyin and TikTok basically run on algorithms that exploit users’ attention. If you have followed China’s tech scene in recent years, you might have used, or at least heard of Douyin, the popular short video and live-streaming app, commonly referred to as the Chinese version of TikTok. Interestingly, relevant features in the company's Chinese short video app predates that of TikTok's. A look at how Douyin and TikTok actively encourage users to not use them - PingWest English 中文Ĭlose TikTok Douyin Bytedance Digital WellbeingĪ look at how Douyin and TikTok actively encourage users to not use themĭigital wellbeing, a topic rarely mentioned in China, is being taken seriously by ByteDance.

Attention Factory by Matthew Brennan