Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Video apps are hugely popular and feature short, catchy videos that draw students in quickly. We recognize that there is a lot of amazing content out there that students can use for their benefit. However, too much time spent on these video apps can leave teens feeling overwhelmed and contribute to screen time addiction.

Educators and parents: Guide your students' reflection and discussion with this student worksheet. (Log in to your Google account and select File-->Make a Copy)

What video apps are popular with teens?

• TikTok is currently one of the most popular short-form video apps on the market and its popularity encouraged other social media apps to add short videos to their platforms
• Teens can currently find short form video on many of the most popular social media apps including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook

What tricks do video apps use to keep teens watching?

• Video apps offer constant new content
• Short videos make it easy for teens to stay on the app for longer because it is hard to know when to stop watching
• Video apps train teens to have short attention spans by feeding them continuously engaging content
• The addictive nature of these videos tells your brain to keep watching
• Video apps delay "likes" so teens want to constantly check back in with the app and see if their video or post received more likes, which then increases dopamine
• Autoplay features constantly play the next video which makes it hard to turn away

What are the consequences of spending too much time on video apps?

• Excessive screen time can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep
• Video apps can distract you and impact your focus, causing your performance at school to suffer
• Filling too much of your day with screens can take away from time with friends and family members
• Replacing physical activity with screen time can decrease overall health and contribute to weight problems
• Studies have shown that excessive screen time can impact your mood and may lead to anxiety/depression
• Excessive time on video apps can lead to body image issues due to comparing yourself with others
• Students tell us that their attention span has been impacted by video apps that show short catchy content because they expect things to grab their attention right away

Strategies to Reduce Time on Video Apps

• Turn off the autoplay feature whenever possible
• Take advantage of in-app screen time settings to get reminders to put your phone down after a set period of time
• Use a physical timer to remind you to get off the video app
• Schedule blocks of time for passive screen time and avoid passive screen time outside of those hours 
• Use screen time apps to help you stay focused and on track

Best Tools to Help Reduce Time on Video Apps

• Opal - Block distracting websites
• ClearSpace - Free to use for one app (paid for additional apps)
• Freedom - Create limits for your current screen time session
• Off the Grid - Lock your phone down when you need to take a break
• SelfControl - Block distracting websites until a timer expires
• Forest - Watch an image of a tree “grow” the longer you avoid distracting apps
• Learn more about apps to help reduce screen time here

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Best Screen Time Apps for Students
• ‍Making Screen Time Fun While Reducing the Negative Impact‍
• 10 Screen Time Management Tips to Prevent Addiction‍
• Balancing Video Game Screen Time for Teens
• Social Media Challenges: What Students, Parents, & Educators Need to Know

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

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Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here‍

Student Discussion Topics

• What keeps you watching or wanting to go back to an app?
• How do you feel when you realize you’ve spent more time on an app than you planned?
• Can you think of any other tactics apps use to keep your attention and keep you scrolling?

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

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Student Discussion Topics

• Evaluating Your Content
  • How would you rate what you watch online on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being “only watch things I care about” and 1 being “whatever shows up on the screen”?
• The Attraction of Video Apps
  • What keeps you watching or wanting to go back to an app?
• Compelling or Compulsive?
  • What do you think makes certain videos or apps so hard to stop watching once you start?

‍Conclusion

Video apps can be entertaining, and users are drawn to the fast pace and constant influx of new content. However, some teens report having a hard time walking away and becoming so accustomed to short videos it seems to have lingering effects on their concentration span.

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Student Discussion Topics

• Two Sides of Video Apps
  • What are some pros and cons of your experience with video apps?
• Understanding the Algorithm
  • How do you think the videos that show up in your feed are chosen for you?
• Taking Back Control
  • How could you change the way you consume content on social media so that it’s more aligned with your interests and makes you feel energized?

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

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Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Student Discussion Topics

• Knowing When to Move On
  • Describe a scenario where you might decide you’ve spent too much time looking at a screen (either while you’re on it or after you’ve gotten off). 
• Screen Burnout
  • How do you feel when you realize you’ve spent more time on an app than you planned?
• Managing Your Time
  • What strategies do you think would be most effective in managing how much time you spend on screens?

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

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Student Discussion Topics

‍Can’t Put It Down

Why is it so easy to spend hours on social media without really meaning to?

Unhealthy Content

What kinds of content that you don’t want to seeor don’t think is healthy have shown up in your social media feeds?

Effects of Overindulging in Social Media

How could consuming too much social media have anegative effect on someone’s mental health, and what underlying problems mightexacerbate that?

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Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

‍

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Student Discussion Topics

What limits can we agree on as a family about the positive use of video apps and social media?

What issues, if any, do you have about using Apple ScreenTime as a family, and can we talk those through?

What are some goals we can set to move towards easing restrictions on your video app and social media use?

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

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Student Discussion Topics

Middle School Students (Dialogue Starters):

Social Media and Time Management

• How long do you think you can reasonably spend online without it interfering with other priorities?

Exploring New Avenues

• What things are you interested in that you might add to your social media feed to make it more productive? 

Balancing Screen & Life Time

• Knowing your own habits, what tips do you think would help you reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone?

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

Parents and Teachers: View the full VIP Facilitation Guide Here

Key Takeaways: 

• TikTok and other video-based apps feature algorithms designed to keep kids on the app for as long as possible, which is key to their profitability
• Short videos can give users a dopamine spike that can make short-video features on social media addictive while shortening students’ attention span
• Turning off autoplay features can help users avoid mindless viewing
• When students make conscious choices of what to watch on social media, they’re more likely to engage their minds and choose content they care about

Dialogue Starters:

Parents of Elementary School Students (to ask students)

Tell Me About TikTok

• Have you watched TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, and if so, what makes them fun for you?

Parents of Middle School Students (to ask students)

Mindful Social-Media Consumption

• If you’re on TikTok, what kinds of videos do you look for—or do you watch whatever pops up?

Parents of High School Students (to ask students)

Talking About Time Management

• How do you balance the amount of time you spend on TikTok and other social media with your other priorities? 

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Best Screen Time Apps for Students
• ‍Making Screen Time Fun While Reducing the Negative Impact‍
• 10 Screen Time Management Tips to Prevent Addiction‍
• Balancing Video Game Screen Time for Teens

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

‍

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

‍

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

Video apps are hugely popular and feature short, catchy videos that draw students in quickly. We recognize that there is a lot of amazing content out there that students can use for their benefit. However, too much time spent on these video apps can leave teens feeling overwhelmed and contribute to screen time addiction.

Educators and parents: Guide your students' reflection and discussion with this student worksheet. (Log in to your Google account and select File-->Make a Copy)

What video apps are popular with teens?

• TikTok is currently one of the most popular short-form video apps on the market and its popularity encouraged other social media apps to add short videos to their platforms
• Teens can currently find short form video on many of the most popular social media apps including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook

What tricks do video apps use to keep teens watching?

• Video apps offer constant new content
• Short videos make it easy for teens to stay on the app for longer because it is hard to know when to stop watching
• Video apps train teens to have short attention spans by feeding them continuously engaging content
• The addictive nature of these videos tells your brain to keep watching
• Video apps delay "likes" so teens want to constantly check back in with the app and see if their video or post received more likes, which then increases dopamine
• Autoplay features constantly play the next video which makes it hard to turn away

What are the consequences of spending too much time on video apps?

• Excessive screen time can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep
• Video apps can distract you and impact your focus, causing your performance at school to suffer
• Filling too much of your day with screens can take away from time with friends and family members
• Replacing physical activity with screen time can decrease overall health and contribute to weight problems
• Studies have shown that excessive screen time can impact your mood and may lead to anxiety/depression
• Excessive time on video apps can lead to body image issues due to comparing yourself with others
• Students tell us that their attention span has been impacted by video apps that show short catchy content because they expect things to grab their attention right away

Strategies to Reduce Time on Video Apps

• Turn off the autoplay feature whenever possible
• Take advantage of in-app screen time settings to get reminders to put your phone down after a set period of time
• Use a physical timer to remind you to get off the video app
• Schedule blocks of time for passive screen time and avoid passive screen time outside of those hours 
• Use screen time apps to help you stay focused and on track

Best Tools to Help Reduce Time on Video Apps

• Opal - Block distracting websites
• ClearSpace - Free to use for one app (paid for additional apps)
• Freedom - Create limits for your current screen time session
• Off the Grid - Lock your phone down when you need to take a break
• SelfControl - Block distracting websites until a timer expires
• Forest - Watch an image of a tree “grow” the longer you avoid distracting apps
• Learn more about apps to help reduce screen time here

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Best Screen Time Apps for Students
• ‍Making Screen Time Fun While Reducing the Negative Impact‍
• 10 Screen Time Management Tips to Prevent Addiction‍
• Balancing Video Game Screen Time for Teens
• Social Media Challenges: What Students, Parents, & Educators Need to Know

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

Student Discussion Topics

Social Media and FOMO

What is FOMO, and how does social media contribute to it?

What’s the Harm?

Can you name some of the emotional, physical and other consequences of excessive time spent on social media / video apps?

A Different Approach

What are some ways you could change the way you use and think about popular apps to make using them a more positive experience

Conclusion

Video apps can be a lot of fun, especially for students who are looking for some quick entertainment. These short videos are ingrained in pop culture and can also play a role in a student’s social life. Finding ways to use video apps in a balanced way can help students reduce excessive screen time and some of the negative impacts it can have on their lives.

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Best Screen Time Apps for Students
• ‍Making Screen Time Fun While Reducing the Negative Impact‍
• 10 Screen Time Management Tips to Prevent Addiction‍
• Balancing Video Game Screen Time for Teens

Conclusion

‍Las aplicaciones de video pueden ser muy divertidas, especialmente para los estudiantes que buscan un poco de entretenimiento rápido. Estos videos cortos están arraigados en la cultura popular y también pueden jugar un papel en la vida social de un estudiante. Encontrar maneras de usar las aplicaciones de video de manera equilibrada puede ayudar a los estudiantes a reducir el tiempo excesivo frente a la pantalla y algunos de los impactos negativos que esto puede tener en sus vidas.

Teachers: View our Educator/Classroom Guide Here

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Best Screen Time Apps for Students
• ‍Making Screen Time Fun While Reducing the Negative Impact‍
• 10 Screen Time Management Tips to Prevent Addiction‍
• Balancing Video Game Screen Time for Teens

Conclusion

‍负面影响10个屏幕时间管理技巧以防止成瘾平衡青少年视频游戏屏幕时间结论视频应用程序可以非常有趣，特别是对于那些寻找快速娱乐的学生而言。这些短视频已经深深植根于流行文化中，也可以在学生的社交生活中发挥作用。找到平衡使用视频应用的方法可以帮助学生减少过度的屏幕时间和它可能对他们的生活产生的一些负面影响。

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