Blog Post #8

The Silent Revolution in Your Pocket: Understanding Smartphone Adoption Through Diffusion Theory

One of the most fascinating inventions in communication technology is TikTok. Over the past few years, this app has become popular much faster than any other social media platform, and Everett Rogers's Diffusion of Innovations Theory helps explain why.  TikTok became so popular so fast because it hit all the right areas. It had a tremendous social component, quick entertainment, encouraged creativity, and was easy to use. People enjoy following trends and sharing; TikTok made it relatively simple.

The early adopters of TikTok were mainly young adults and teenagers, which makes sense, as they were born into a more technologically savvy era, making it much easier for them to adapt to a new app. They appreciated how the videos were concise, engaging, and creative, making it easier to pay attention and fostering a sense of community among viewers. The app's algorithm was brilliant, as it paid attention to every user's interests and showed content that interested them, leaving them wanting more. While yes, these early adopters helped. 

Late adopters, conversely, either felt overwhelmed by learning another app or were dubious about TikTok's credibility (early on, data security and privacy issues raised questions). Still, some have decided not to use TikTok entirely. Their motivations might be worries about lost time, content quality, or the sense that they "need" no other social media app.

While TikTok has many positive aspects, it also has many downsides. The positives are that it's fun and creative, and can be an opportunity for people to show their personalities and innovate in their ways by sharing content. However, it can also promote many unhealthy habits and a sort of dark side, which can encourage binge watching, unrealistic beauty standards, misinformation, depression, and more. 

For example, I'm personally very cautious about how I spend my time on my phone because I know that I am very easily influenced and can be sucked into social media very quickly without even being aware of it. It can affect my mood and mental health. So, am I doing something beneficial for my health right now? Am I being productive or managing my time responsibly?  So I ensure the benefits of social media outweigh the negatives.  

With any communication technology, it is essential to be aware of your time and usage of the app and how it benefits you, considering your personal values and mental health.  Sometimes, you must decide to put your phone down for your well-being.