TikTok now gives you badges to limit your doomscrolling | TechCrunch

TikTok is introducing new digital wellness features, such as an affirmation journal and a background noise generator, aimed at improving the mental health of its users. The social network said it will also give users badges to help them monitor their TikTok usage.

The company is redesigning its screen time management page and adding new features to it. These include an affirmation journal with more than 120 positive prompts that help users set your intention for the day, a sound generator that can play calming sounds like rain or ocean waves, and a breathing exercise module. The company said the page will also feature content from creators talking about limiting screen time, using parental tools and customizing their feeds.

TikTok is also introducing new badges to reward people who use the platform within certain limits, especially teenagers. The company said it reviewed the academic literature on digital wellness and found that overly restrictive tools can have a negative impact on teens.

To earn these badges, users must complete various missions. Users can complete the sleep hours mission by not using the platform at night. They can also use the new meditation tools to get a badge. TikTok also rewards people who set a daily screen time limit and use the app within those limits with a badge. There are other badges that allow you to view the weekly screen time report and invite others to complete these missions.

The company said that during initial testing, it noticed more people visiting the new wellness screen compared to the previous version of the screen time menu, with the affirmation journal being the most popular tool.

TikTok said it will display a link to these tools when someone uses the app at night or when they reach their daily screen time limit.

The company launched new parental control tools in July, allowing guardians to block certain accounts and get notifications when teens upload a public video or story. Over the past month, tech companies including Meta, YouTube, OpenAI and Discord have added new safety tools with the aim of increasing teen safety.