Too Much TikTok May Affect Brains of Kids and Teens

Too much time spent watching quick video content may lead to digital addiction, a new study in China suggests.

- By PAUL M. ICAMINA

Called short video addiction (SVA), it is a growing behavioral and social issue, driven by the widespread use of digital platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels that provide highly engaging, personalized, and brief video content, according to a study conducted at Tianjin Normal University, China, and published Feb. 15, 2025, in the journal NeuroImage.

SVA is characterized by the compulsive and uncontrolled use of short-video platforms, where users excessively consume personalized content to the extent that it negatively interferes with other activities, says lead researcher Yuanyuan Gao of the Faculty of Psychology at Tianjin Normal University.