Study Links Instagram and TikTok to More Negative Feelings Among Teenagers

A recent study suggests that Instagram and TikTok are associated with more negative feelings among teenagers, highlighting concerns about young people’s experiences online.

The findings point to widespread negative experiences among teens who use the internet. They also suggest that the types of harm teenagers encounter differ depending on the platforms they use.

That variation is an important distinction: the study’s summary does not describe online harm as a single, uniform experience across social media services.

The information provided does not specify which negative experiences were most common on Instagram or TikTok, or explain how the researchers measured teenagers’ feelings.

The reported association does not, by itself, establish that either platform causes those feelings. Further details about the study’s methods would be needed to assess the strength and scope of its findings.