Survey: Teens say TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are mainly for fun — Snapchat dominates messaging, TikTok tied to sleep problems

A new Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 U.S. teens ages 13–17 (fielded Sept. 25–Oct. 9, 2025) finds that entertainment is the top reason young people log on to TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat — roughly nine-in-ten say it’s a reason they use these apps. TikTok stands out for entertainment: about eight-in-ten of its users cite that as a major draw. Short-form video rules the roost. Who could be surprised?

Different apps, different roles

The platforms aren’t interchangeable. Snapchat remains the go-to for everyday back-and-forth: 57% of teens say they message on Snapchat daily, and roughly three-in-ten post there each day. Instagram and TikTok pull users for other things — product reviews, celebrity updates and, increasingly, news. About six-in-ten TikTok users report using it for product reviews, and roughly four-in-ten say they use TikTok or Instagram for news, compared with smaller shares on Snapchat.

Screen time, sleep and trade-offs

Not everything is sunshine and viral dances. About 37% of teens say TikTok affects their sleep, and roughly three-in-ten TikTok users say they spend too much time on the app — higher than on the other platforms. Cyberbullying and mixed mental-health effects also show up in the survey, underscoring the messy trade-offs of life in the attention economy. Teens get laughs, connection and information — but some of them pay for it with tired eyes and frayed evenings. What do we do about that? Parents, schools and platforms all have a stake.

Sources: pewresearch.org