The Washington PostThe Washington Post

TikTok is addictive for many girls, especially those with depression

By Donna St. George

30 Mar 2023 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

The Post reports on troubling research, which has revealed that half of adolescent girls in the U.S. feel addicted to TikTok, consistently using the platform for longer than they intend to.

Nearly half of adolescent girls on TikTok feel addicted to it or use the platform for longer than they intend, according to a report that looks at social media as a central facet of American girlhood.

TikTok leads the way in total time on its platform, with girls who use it logging more than 2.5 hours a day, according to researchers from Brown University and the nonprofit Common Sense Media. But YouTube is only a bit behind, at nearly 2.5 hours, with Snapchat and messaging apps at about two hours, and Instagram at 92 minutes. Many of the girls surveyed, ages 11 to 15, use multiple platforms each day.

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