Up to 1 in 5 young Spaniards spend more than two hours a day on TikTok and exceed the recommended threshold in the use of social networks, after which the risk of suffering from mental health problems can increase. The proportion of girls who are above this risk threshold (24.37%) is clearly higher than that of boys (15.45%). This is indicated by a study led by the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), in collaboration with the Open University of Catalonia (UOC), published in the journal Nature.
Although previous studies had already analyzed the impact of social networks in general on the mental health of young people, this research is pioneer in the analysis of the specific effects of TikTok on the digital well-being of adolescents. TikTok presents specific peculiarities in relation to other networks (such as Instagram, X or Facebook), especially because encourages more passive consumption of videos and less interaction between users. In addition, it is the most popular social network among young people around the world, especially in Spain, the state where the highest percentage of teenagers use it.
For this study, a survey was carried out 1,043 young people from all over Spain between 12 and 18 years oldto examine the time they spend on Tiktok and the types of content. The perception of their own digital well-being has also been evaluated. Digital well-being is understood as the state of optimal balance between connection time and cognitive and emotional well-being. In this study, they have measured three variables in relation to digital well-being: the self-ability of young people to set limits on connection time; that of generating social connections and community; and one’s own capacity for emotional resilience.
More than an hour a day on TikTok
Regarding the time spent on Tiktok, the research led by Mònica Jiménez from the UPF, confirms that more than half of the young people surveyed (53.19%) spend more than an hour a day in the APP, 35.28% more than an hour and a half and 20.22% more than two hours, the latter percentage being significantly higher in the case of girls (24.37%). In this sense, various previous studies have confirmed that using social networks for more than 2 hours a day is associated with low self-esteem regarding body imagea negative perception of one’s own mental health or an increased risk of psychological stress or suicidal ideation.
The consumption time of young people on TikTok contrasts with the self-perception of your level of digital well-beingwhich is generally positive. On a scale of 1 to 5, they rate their ability to set limits on consumption time with a 3.22; their emotional resilience to the content viewed with a 3.31 and the ability to generate social connections and community, with a 3.64.
However, Mònika Jiménez (UPF) warns: “the more time young people spend on Tiktok, less ability they have to set limits in their connection times to the APP.” Young people who spend more than two hours a day on TikTok rate their ability to set limits with a 2.93 out of 5, while those who spend between half an hour and an hour rate it with a 3.33. The ability to set limits is higher for those who spend between 11 minutes and half an hour on the social network (3.47) or those who spend less than 10 minutes on it (3.53).
Traditional gender roles
The research also reveals significant differences in the types of content consumed on TikTok by adolescent boys and girls, as Mireia Montaña (UOC) explains: “Boys are predominantly interested in content from video games and professional sportswhile girls tend to consume more beauty and fashion content, thus showing a persistence of traditional gender roles in digital consumption preferences.”
Regarding the type of content consumed, the young people surveyed have rated from 1 to 5 the frequency with which they watch videos of different types (where 1 is never and 5 is always). Beyond comedy and music videos, which are among the three most viewed by both sexesthe rest of the content most consumed by boys and girls are different. In the case of girls, the five most viewed contents are: comedy (3.24), music (3.22), fashion (3.02), beauty (3) and dance or people playing music (2.88). In the case of boys, they are comedy (3.50), video games (3.19), music (3.06), professional sports (3.01) and news from influencers or streamers (2.92).
Educational programs and algorithm audits
The digital well-being of young people does not only involve parental control: they are necessary educational programs and periodic audits to TikTok algorithms
Given this situation, the study considers that measures to improve the digital well-being of young people cannot be limited to parental control of the APP or digital disconnection. Also see necessary educational programs to promote healthy digital habits among young people and to provide their families with more support strategies to make it possible, with a gender perspective.
The study warns that indiscriminate restrictive measures do not work, but rather it is necessary to encourage each young person to maintain a moderate level of consumption of social networksthat suits your interests and needs. And he insists that the realization of regular algorithm audits of networks like TikTok to avoid its potential addictive effects.