It’s 2005, and the computer room has been vibrating for two hours straight, my fingers gliding across the keyboard copying HTML and Java code while jamming to the latest R&B CD I burned. No, I’m not a computer programming wiz — I’m designing my MySpace page. I spend countless hours choosing the perfect song, trying to figure out why my About section header isn’t bold, and how to get those glittery GIFs to work.

I was in sixth grade when MySpace became popular, and today, my niece, an avid TikTok-er, is the same age I was back then. So after spending most of the summer rejecting my niece’s urgent requests to join in on her trending TikTok dances, I did what any researcher would do — start with “me-search.” I asked my niece what her TikTok would tell someone about her that they wouldn’t otherwise know.

“I’m trendy. I’m into fashion. I like to dance,” she said.

Thinking back to my constant MySpace page redesigning, Top 8 tweaks, and song choice updates, my obsession with getting the page just right wasn’t all that different from Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s TikTok fixation.

Granted, I could easily shut down the computer, leave the room, go hang out with friends, do homework, and not think about it until a new song hit me so deeply I thought, “this should be on my page!”

In contrast, observing my niece and her friends today, I wonder why kids just can’t get off that particular app.

Yes, there have been relative social and cultural changes since the mid-2000s, but there is one inimitable variable: the COVID-19 shutdowns. We heard a lot about Gen Z or “Zoomers,” during the COVID-19 pandemic, coming of age and entering college in virtual school classrooms. But the pandemic shutdowns also forced the newest generation at the time, Gen Alpha, to interact in the virtual world. I remember my niece’s last few months of kindergarten on Zoom. For career day, she said she wanted to be a “brain doctor,” so we dressed her up as a surgeon. Watching the kids excitedly scan their classmates’ Zoom boxes to guess each other’s costumes. Between this virtual reality and TikTok’s tweaks to its algorithms and features, we have the perfect storm for what psychologists call “short video addiction.”

This timeline doesn’t start with TikTok, but its accessible video creation lowered the stakes when the mass exodus from what used to be Twitter turned users toward other platforms that prioritize influencers and sponsored content in its feeds, making the average user a content- consuming doom scroller instead of a participant in —– our not-so-social —– social media. Over the past few years, surveys of user behavior have shown a downward trend in people posting and an increase in influencer and product ads. When TikTok’s low-stakes algorithms made going viral seem attainable for any user who can hop on a trending sound or dance, the rest of its competitors iterated — Instagram Reels, FaceBook Reels, YouTube Shorts — all on an eternally refreshing loop of new content.

With how much time and energy children today pour into videos and social media, it prompts the question of whether we can harness that for something potentially a little more productive: education.

Scroll Science

Can learning be as addictive as TikTok?

Well, let’s look at the science behind why it’s so addictive. You’ve probably heard about dopamine. It isn’t just our brain’s pleasure chemical — it’s also the learning signal that releases after unexpected rewards, especially from low-effort activity, like swiping from reel to reel and finding even better DIY project ideas you’ve been wanting to get to.

We experience either positive, negative, or zero reward prediction error, which keeps us striving for more rewards. Neuroscience research gives us a clear picture of what’s happening in our brains when we’re watching short-form videos. Our brains are constantly predicting what will happen next — it’s one of the ways we stay safe and make sense of the world. Reward prediction error is that chemical magic that happens when our prediction is wrong. It’s the same basic mechanism used to design slot machines and other variable-reward systems.

With endless video loops, when the next clip is better than we expected — the kind that’s so spot-on you immediately save it or send it to the group chat — our brain gives us a small dopamine boost. When a video is boring, we get no dopamine. When it’s disappointing, dopamine briefly dips. That constant cycle of maybe this next one will be great, new information, or useful is what keeps us scrolling.With every social media feed carefully curated for each user, there are dozens of algorithms learning what holds your gaze to feed you more of what will keep you on the app or website. For me, it’s funny parenting reels and home improvement YouTube Shorts. Of course I need to see the difference between galvanized and stainless steel screws for my next DIY project. That’s the sense of novelty and variable rewards that keeps us scrolling.

Lastly, because the feeds just keep feeding more content through the infinite scroll feature, there’s no natural stopping point, so there is never a cue to stop and end the scrolling session.

Recent neuroscience studies show that high TikTok usage can activate brain regions tied to impulse and habit formation. In another recent study, researchers looked at electroencephalogram, or EEG tests, to assess the relationship between youth and young adults’ frequent short video consumption and reduced attention control, higher levels of stress, and learning fatigue. These are the makings of short video addiction, a condition researchers suggest is worthy of a spot in the DSM-5.

We Can Make Learning As Addictive

But should we?

It sounds like a good idea. It reminds me of when adults would say, “if only you knew your times tables like you know those rap songs.” But in this case, it’s not as simple as putting math on hip-hop beats.

Imagine your child or student’s TikTok infinite scroll were actually mini-lessons on tectonic plates, followed by how a basketball arc follows a parabola, and each 30‑second video ended with a satisfying “aha” moment and a surprising new fact. The algorithm could learn what students enjoy and what they are struggling with, then feed them culturally relevant examples with humor and well-timed reveals. It would feel great, and your students might start saying, “Just one more reel,” as they send you GIFs and memes — seemingly addicted to learning!

Let’s look deeper at the science of learning. These techniques would likely keep students engaged, producing frequent dopamine hits, but for information to register as learning, though, we need a little more than dopamine and surprise rewards. Learning requires effortful processing, retrieval, and opportunities to apply ideas in new situations. Otherwise, our educational TikTok app prototype could fall into the loop of attention trap, making it easy to go from education to edu-tainment without the friction of problem-solving that makes learning stick.

This is where the attention trap shows up: a stream of highly optimized, bite-sized “aha” moments can keep eyes glued to the screen while quietly removing the productive friction of wrestling with problems, making choices, and getting feedback — the very processes that strengthen memory, understanding, and transfer. When the system does all the cognitive heavy lifting, students get edu‑tainment: they feel informed and interested, but they have not built the durable mental models that let them explain, use, or remember the ideas later.

Learning takes more than clever hooks and sticky formats. Digital experiences can be engaging — even addictive — but if they skip struggle and retrieval, they risk producing the illusion of learning rather than the real thing. As educators, the goal is not to compete with short‑form platforms on sheer stickiness, but to design experiences where attention is channeled into thinking, problem‑solving, and revisiting ideas over time.

Education apps can be addictive, but I’m not sure we want them to be. Then there might be too many people like me — addicted to the infinite scroll of YouTube Shorts on neuroscience and psychology research.

The European Commission said today that TikTok is facing a fine because its addictive features, including infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and personalized recommendation systems, are breaching the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA).

According to preliminary findings, TikTok has failed to adequately assess how these features could harm users’ physical and mental well-being, including minors and vulnerable adults.

The commission found that TikTok fuels the users’ urge to keep scrolling and shifts their brains into “autopilot mode” by constantly rewarding users with new content, potentially reducing self-control and leading to compulsive behavior.

TikTok has also disregarded important indicators of compulsive use, including the time minors spend on the app at night and how frequently users open it, the commission added.

If the findings are confirmed, the violations could trigger a fine of up to 6% of TikTok’s global annual turnover. To avoid being fined for violating the EU’s digital regulations, the commission said TikTok needs to change its core service design by implementing screen time breaks, adapting its recommendation system, and disabling key addictive features.

“Social media addiction can have detrimental effects on the developing minds of children and teens, said EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen on Friday.

“The Digital Services Act makes platforms responsible for the effects they can have on their users. In Europe, we enforce our legislation to protect our children and our citizens online.”

The commission added that while TikTok has some mitigation measures, such as parental controls and screen-time management tools, these are likely ineffective because they are easy to dismiss and require parents to enable them manually.

In November, French prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into TikTok, accusing it of failing to safeguard the mental health of children.

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) fined TikTok €530 million (over $601 million) in May 2025 for illegally transferring the personal data of users in the European Economic Area (EEA) to China, in violation of the EU’s GDPR data protection regulations.

Two years earlier, the Irish watchdog slapped TikTok with a €345 million ($368 million) fine for violating children’s privacy by processing their data and employing “dark patterns” during registration and video posting.

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Gaming laptops get expensive fast, especially once you start asking for a sharper display and enough storage to avoid constant uninstalling. That’s why the “good screen, good GPU, sensible storage” tier is where the best deals live. The HP OMEN 16 is $1,059.99, saving you $420 off the $1,479.99 compared value. For a 16-inch machine with a 2K 144Hz panel, RTX 5060, and a 1TB SSD, this is a strong value if you want one laptop that can do games, work, and everything in between.

What you’re getting

This laptop pairs an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H (2025) with 16GB memory, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060, and a 1TB SSD. The screen is the star: 16 inches, 2K resolution, and a 144Hz refresh rate. That combination is ideal for the kind of gaming people actually do on a laptop: crisp visuals when you’re exploring single-player worlds, and smoother motion when you’re jumping into competitive titles.

The 1TB SSD matters more than it sounds like. Modern games are huge, and a lot of “deal” laptops quietly cut storage to hit the price. Here, you get enough room to keep several big games installed and still have space for school or work files.

Why it’s worth it

This deal hits the practical upgrade trifecta:

• 2K + 144Hz gives you a noticeably nicer experience than basic 1080p panels
• RTX 5060 is the right class of GPU for modern gaming, approaching extreme pricing
• 1TB storage keeps the laptop usable long-term

It’s also a good pick if you want a machine that can double as a productivity laptop. A strong CPU, a high-resolution screen, and plenty of storage make it comfortable for everyday tasks, creative work, and multitasking, not just gaming.

One realistic note: 16GB RAM is fine for most people, but if you plan to stream, edit, and game at the same time, memory is often the first upgrade worth considering later. The good news is that’s usually easier than upgrading a GPU.

The bottom line

At $1,059.99, this HP OMEN 16 is a strong value if you want a sharper 2K 144Hz display, a modern RTX 5060 GPU, and a roomy 1TB SSD in a single laptop that can handle both gaming and daily life. If you only play lightweight games, you can spend less. But if you want a laptop that feels genuinely capable across current titles and won’t feel cramped a year from now, this discount is worth taking.

Trump Mobile is already failing to deliver on some early promises, according to the latest report from The Verge. The report revealed the near-final design of the T1 smartphone and uncovered some major changes with pricing and manufacturing.

The Verge spoke with Don Hendrickson and Eric Thomas, two of the three execs behind Trump Mobile, about the company’s first smartphone, which will get a more expensive price tag and no longer boast being made in the USA. Thanks to a screenshot from the report, we can see that the latest T1 design also changed the camera array, which first resembled the iPhone’s but now has three cameras in a misaligned vertical stack.

As for the price, Hendrickson told The Verge that anyone who paid the $100 deposit will still pay $499 total for the T1 as an “introductory price,” but that later customers could fork up to $999. Thomas also revealed that the T1 smartphone will go through “final assembly” in Miami and no longer be “proudly designed and built in the United States,” as seen in the introductory press release. Instead, the website now shows a description that says, “with American hands behind every device.” We still don’t have a release date — and now we don’t even have a final price — but the website still claims the T1 smartphone will be released “later this year.”

When we cover televisions, we often talk about the most popular 55 and 65-inch versions, but as someone with an 85-inch TV in their guest room, I know the appeal of an oversized screen. Today, I’ve got a deal for you on the larger end of Sony’s Bravia 9 Series screens, with a $900 discount on the 75-inch model, and a massive $1,800 markdown on the 85-inch version.

In addition to taking up an entire wall of your living room, these big screens are also super bright, reaching a stated 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Our reviewer Ryan Waniata, watching Moana, noted that “the sun blazed to near eye-squinting levels.” It’s helped along by quantum dots, which help colors look bright and real, even with the brightness cranked up.

While the viewing angles can’t quite compete with the best OLED screens, Sony has some tricks up its sleeve, like antireflection coating and wide-panel tech, which should make sure everyone on the couch has a good view. The occasional rainbow that pops up as a result is most noticeable with dark scenes in a well-lit room, which isn’t exactly the best viewing condition regardless of screen size or panel type.

It isn’t all perfect, unfortunately. There are only two HDMI 2.1 ports, and only one of them is the eARC port, so it’s likely to be tied up with your sound bar. Sharp-eyed viewers may also spot some uniformity issues, particularly around the edges of the screen.

If you don’t feel like you’re ready for the big leagues, or you just don’t have the space in your living room, the 65-inch model of the Sony Bravia 9 is marked down to $2,000, a $1,000 discount, and is a more average sized display. Still, if you can spare the room on your wall, the 75-inch model is just $2,600 and very impressive, and the 85-inch version, while truly gargantuan, is deeply discounted to $3,000. If you’re not sold on the Sony, make sure to swing by our roundup of the best televisions, which also included OLED and QD-OLED options, or check out the full review of the Bravia 9 to see why we recommend it so highly.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

It’s Super Bowl Sunday! Fittingly, today’s Mini Crossword includes some related clues. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: The Eagles have the only N.F.L. logo that faces this way
Answer: LEFT

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Wash vigorously
Answer: SCRUB

8A clue: Classic opera set in Rome
Answer: TOSCA

9A clue: To the ___ degree
Answer: NTH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Fourth place in an N.F.L. division, for example
Answer: LAST

2D clue: Former inmate, informally
Answer: EXCON

3D clue: Successful gain of ten yards, when combined with this answer’s direction?
Answer: FIRST

4D clue: Trip to the end zone, when combined with this answer’s direction?
Answer: TOUCH

6D clue: Deg. held by many a C.E.O.
Answer: MBA

Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

England will start their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal on February 8 in Mumbai. England has won 2 T20I World Cups so far, first in 2010 and then again in 2022. However, the last time they toured India for an ICC event during the 2023 50-over World Cup, they were knocked out in the group stages after finishing at 7th (out of 10 teams) on the points table. They’ll be keen not to repeat the same mistakes on similar Indian pitches.

If you’re away from home right now you can use a VPN to unblock your usual stream from anywhere.