Digital fatigue: half of the zoomers regret the existence of TikTok, — research

A new survey has found that a significant number of zoomers wish popular social networks had never appeared, despite the fact that young people spend a lot of time on them every day.

The study, which was conducted by social psychologist Jonathan HaidtJonathan Haidt is also the author of the bestselling book «The Anxious Generation». The scientist is known for his recommendations on limiting the use of smartphones by children and teenagers. together with Harris Poll, covered 1006 representatives of Generation Z aged 18 to 27. Results showed reported that 47% of young people wish TikTok did not exist. A similar attitude is observed in relation to other platforms: 50% of respondents expressed the same wish for X (formerly Twitter).

The survey found that 60% of Generation Z members spend almost four hours a day on social media. Even more interesting is that 23% of respondents spend seven or more hours on it. At the same time, 60% of respondents believe that social media has a negative impact on society.

The study showed that the impact of social media varies by social group. For example, 44% of women and 47% of LGBTQ people said that social media had a negative impact on their mental health. For comparison, among men, the figure is 31%, and among people who do not belong to the LGBTQ community, it is —35%.

In terms of individual platforms, after TikTok and X, Snapchat (43%), Facebook (37%), and Instagram (34%) were the most «undesirable» platforms. Interestingly, smartphones and instant messengers themselves are less dissatisfying: only 21% wish smartphones had not been invented, and the figure for instant messengers is 19%.

Despite the critical attitude toward social media, only 36% of respondents support a complete ban on its use by children under 16. Instead, 69% support the creation of safe versions of social media for users under the age of 18.

Haidt calls on lawmakers to take measures to protect young people from the negative impact of social media. He emphasizes the need to make these platforms safer for children or to ban them for minors altogether.

Source: Fortune