Re:Instagram, TikTok, and the Three Trends
by prawn on Thursday August 18, 2022 @04:14AM
(#32506765)
I think a distinction between tap and swipe are that a tap progresses a discrete amount whereas swiping is less discriminating. Almost feels like the attention span is shorter. If tapping is turning a page in a magazine, swiping is more like flicking through the pages and getting glances at content before stopping at something you like.
Click in the article refers to plain old web navigation. There are links on the page, you move the mouse around and click on whichever one you want.
Tap is referring to "Stories" interaction, which is more narrowed and less user choice than click. A story is playing, you tap anywhere on the screen and the next story replaces it and begins playing.
I actually think "tap" and "swipe" are basically the same? They are both just a "give me the next one please" interaction. But the rest do progress from more user-directed to more computer-controlled.
(Click -> scroll -> tap -> swipe -> autoplay)