Whilst contemplating this situation, my colleague Tom pointed out what I feel is the crux of the issue. TikTok has become the platform for algorithmic recommendation. The general sentiment among anyone I know is that TikTok, more than YouTube, and certainly more than Instagram et al, is phenomenally good at recommending things to you.
people building tech products so often miss the point
the point is to help people live a good life, not an efficient life
the point is resonance, not scale
the point is to deliver comfort, not just convenience
the goal is not technology - the goal is human flourishing