“We’re all addicted to TikTok these days” is a phrase we hear everywhere — and perhaps one we’ve come to believe ourselves. After all, the widespread use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter) is so deeply embedded in our daily lives that it is easily misinterpreted as a sign of addiction, even when it is simply a habit. This is exactly what scientists from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of Southern California point out in a recent publication in Scientific Reports, arguing that we may not be as “addicted” to social media as we think.
What fuels the misconception
In the first phase of their study, researchers Ian Anderson and Wendy Wood focused on Instagram, analyzing the platform’s use among 380 adults in the United States. Participants were asked to describe whether — and to what extent — they believed they were addicted to Instagram, while also being assessed for actual symptoms of addictive behaviour such as loss of control, strong cravings, withdrawal when use is interrupted, and continued use despite negative consequences or risk of harm.
They found that while 18% of participants believed they were at least somewhat addicted and 5% were firmly convinced of it, only 2% exhibited symptoms suggesting a risk of real addiction. The contrast was even sharper with TikTok: although 59% reported feeling addicted, only 9% displayed concerning symptoms. In reality, the findings showed that excessive use of these apps is driven more by habit than by true addiction.
To explore the causes of this significant gap, the researchers analyzed how social media use is portrayed in U.S. news articles published between November 2021 and November 2024. They identified 4,383 articles that used the term “addiction” and just 50 that used the term “habit” to describe extensive social media use. The researchers argue that this tendency likely explains the distorted perception users have — something confirmed in the second stage of their study.
The careless use of the term “addiction”
The scientists examined the direct impact of the word “addiction” on how 824 adults evaluated their own Instagram use. They found that when participants were encouraged to view their behaviour as “addictive” (for example, when researchers subtly suggested that frequent Instagram use might constitute addiction), most readily adopted that viewpoint. Even when no real symptoms of addiction were present, many users were willing to label themselves as “addicted.” In other words, the label “addiction” shapes how people perceive their behaviour, and acceptance of it comes surprisingly easily.
The findings underscore how crucial it is for the media and relevant institutions to use scientifically accurate language. Overuse of dramatic terms not only fuels misunderstandings but also risks trivializing true addiction in cases where it genuinely exists.
