TikTok has introduced in-app guided meditation exercises to help users improve their sleep quality. The feature, first tested earlier this year with select teens, is now available to all users on the app.
The goal behind the feature is to encourage users, especially teens, to take a break from late-night scrolling and focus on winding down before bed. The meditation exercise features a calming screen with soft music and breathing exercises to promote relaxation.
For users under 18, meditation will be automatically enabled. If a teen is using the app after 10 p.m., their For You feed will be interrupted with a guided meditation prompt, encouraging them to wind down for the night. If they ignore the prompt and continue using the app, they will see a second full-screen reminder urging them to go to sleep.
New Teen Safety Features from TikTok
The introduction of the meditation feature is part of TikTok’s ongoing efforts to address concerns over the app’s impact on its younger audience. Over the past few years, the company has rolled out various teen safety features, and this new initiative is a direct response to lawmakers urging the company to do more to protect teens online.
Adults who are interested in the meditation feature can activate it via the Screen Time settings in the app. Users can toggle the “sleep hours” feature to set a specific time for the meditation exercise to appear each night, making it easier for them to stick to a bedtime routine.
In addition to the new meditation feature, TikTok also announced that it will donate $2.3 million in ad credits to 31 mental health organizations across 19 countries as part of its Mental Health Education Fund. This initiative aims to provide support and resources for mental health education on a global scale.
Author’s Opinion
TikTok’s new meditation feature is a positive move in the right direction. It shows that the company is taking responsibility for the impact of its platform on users’ well-being, especially younger users. However, the feature could be even more effective if it included further customization options for users of all ages. Encouraging healthier screen time habits, particularly before bed, is crucial, and features like this are a good step toward mitigating some of the negative effects of social media use.
