Edison Research has released data revealing a complex and contradictory relationship between TikTok and its 112 million weekly U.S. users. The findings, based on 2,253 online interviews conducted from October 3-29, 2025, document a user base that simultaneously embraces and questions their platform engagement.
The Screen Time Paradox
The research identifies a striking disconnect in user attitudes.
While 42% of weekly TikTok users believe they spend too much time on the platform, they continue accessing it regularly and report overwhelmingly positive experiences during that usage. Among users aged 13-24, this concern intensifies, with 54% believing they spend excessive time on TikTok, compared to 40% of those aged 25-44 and 27% of users 45 and older.
This concern has translated into action for some users. The study finds that 34% of weekly users have attempted to limit or stop their TikTok usage. Among the youngest demographic, 41% report making such attempts, compared to 32% of users aged 25-44 and 26% of those 45 and older.
Black or African American users show the highest rate of attempting to limit usage at 44%, followed by White users at 31% and Hispanic or Latino users at 29%.
Yet these same users who express concern and attempt to limit their use remain active on the platform. Daily usage reaches 29% among the total population aged 13 and older, with 54% of users aged 13-24 accessing TikTok daily.
Positive Engagement Metrics Remain Strong
Despite concerns about screen time, user sentiment during actual platform engagement is predominantly positive.
The research documents that 75% of weekly TikTok users report feeling entertained while using the platform, a response that is consistent across gender lines. By age group, 82% of users aged 13-24 report feeling entertained, compared with 69% of those aged 25-44 and 75% of those aged 45 and older.
Additional positive emotional responses include 48% feeling happy, 41% feeling relaxed, 39% feeling informed, 36% feeling connected, and 34% feeling inspired when using TikTok. Negative emotions register at substantially lower levels, with 18% reporting feeling addicted, 13% shocked, 6% annoyed, 5% stressed, and 4% angry.
The study finds 87% of weekly TikTok users agree the platform helps them escape the stress of everyday life, and an equal percentage agree TikTok brings people together.
The Trust Gap
A second major paradox emerges around content trust.
Only 30% of weekly TikTok users agree they trust the information, content, and news they see or hear on the platform. This represents a minority position among active users who continue engaging with the platform despite these reservations.
Trust levels vary significantly by ethnicity. Black or African American users show the highest trust at 40%, followed by White users at 32% and Hispanic or Latino users at 16%.
When comparing TikTok to other media types, 24% of weekly users report trusting information on the platform more, 55% trust it the same amount, and 21% trust it less. Among users aged 45 and older, only 12% trust TikTok information more than other media, while 65% trust it the same and 23% trust it less.
Content Value Perceptions Show Demographic Splits
User perceptions of TikTok’s content uniqueness reveal notable demographic variations.
Overall, 51% of weekly users agree that TikTok has content they cannot find anywhere else. However, Black or African American users show the highest agreement at 60%, followed by White users at 53% and Hispanic or Latino users at 40%.
Regarding educational value, 61% of weekly users agree that the platform helps them learn about opinions and perspectives different from their own. This response shows variation by ethnicity: 64% of White users agree, 59% of Black or African American users, and 40% of Hispanic or Latino users.
The research documents a striking disconnect between low content trust and high advertising effectiveness.
While only 30% of users trust platform content, 78% of weekly TikTok users report they have seen or heard an advertisement for a product or service on the platform.
Among those who recall seeing advertisements, 83% report taking some action after exposure. Specific actions include: 48% gathering more information about a company or product; 43% purchasing a product or service they heard about on TikTok; 34% recommending a product to a friend or family member; and 31% following a brand or company on TikTok or another social media platform.
Purchase behavior shows variation by age. Among users aged 13-24, 42% report buying products they heard about on TikTok, compared to 47% of those aged 25-44 and 37% of those 45 and older. To gather more information, users aged 13-24 report taking this action at 54%, compared to 47% of those aged 25-44 and 45% of those aged 45 and older.
Discovery Function Remains Core Value Proposition
TikTok continues functioning as a significant discovery platform for audio content. Among weekly users, 64% report using TikTok with the intention to discover new music, rising to 75% among users aged 13-24.
For podcast discovery, 47% of weekly users report this intention, increasing to 51% among the youngest age group. Audiobook discovery registers at 30% overall, with 34% among users aged 13-24.
The study also finds 58% of weekly TikTok users have posted a video on the platform at some point, indicating active participation beyond passive consumption.
Demographic Profile Shows Platform’s Reach
Weekly TikTok users demonstrate younger age distribution and greater racial diversity than the general U.S. population. The platform’s weekly user base consists of 47% men and 53% women. Age distribution shows 34% are aged 13-24, 43% are aged 25-44, and 23% are 45 and older, compared to 20%, 30%, and 50% respectively in the general population.
Racial composition among weekly users includes 54% White, 17% Black or African American, and 22% Hispanic or Latino, compared to 68%, 11%, and 15% in the overall U.S. population aged 13 and older.
Hispanic or Latino users show the highest daily usage rate at 50%, followed by Black or African American users at 37% and White users at 24%.
The research, weighted to match U.S. demographics by gender, age, and geography, provides current data on platform dynamics as of October 2025, offering creators and marketers insight into the psychological complexity of TikTok’s user base.
Image credits: Edison Research The full research is available here
Dragomir is a Serbian freelance blog writer and translator. He is passionate about covering insightful stories and exploring topics such as influencer marketing, the creator economy, technology, business, and cyber fraud.
Edison Research has released data revealing a complex and contradictory relationship between TikTok and its 112 million weekly U.S. users. The findings, based on 2,253 online interviews conducted from October 3-29, 2025, document a user base that simultaneously embraces and questions their platform engagement.
The Screen Time Paradox
The research identifies a striking disconnect in user attitudes.
While 42% of weekly TikTok users believe they spend too much time on the platform, they continue accessing it regularly and report overwhelmingly positive experiences during that usage. Among users aged 13-24, this concern intensifies, with 54% believing they spend excessive time on TikTok, compared to 40% of those aged 25-44 and 27% of users 45 and older.
This concern has translated into action for some users. The study finds that 34% of weekly users have attempted to limit or stop their TikTok usage. Among the youngest demographic, 41% report making such attempts, compared to 32% of users aged 25-44 and 26% of those 45 and older.
Black or African American users show the highest rate of attempting to limit usage at 44%, followed by White users at 31% and Hispanic or Latino users at 29%.
Yet these same users who express concern and attempt to limit their use remain active on the platform. Daily usage reaches 29% among the total population aged 13 and older, with 54% of users aged 13-24 accessing TikTok daily.
Positive Engagement Metrics Remain Strong
Despite concerns about screen time, user sentiment during actual platform engagement is predominantly positive.
The research documents that 75% of weekly TikTok users report feeling entertained while using the platform, a response that is consistent across gender lines. By age group, 82% of users aged 13-24 report feeling entertained, compared with 69% of those aged 25-44 and 75% of those aged 45 and older.
Additional positive emotional responses include 48% feeling happy, 41% feeling relaxed, 39% feeling informed, 36% feeling connected, and 34% feeling inspired when using TikTok. Negative emotions register at substantially lower levels, with 18% reporting feeling addicted, 13% shocked, 6% annoyed, 5% stressed, and 4% angry.
The study finds 87% of weekly TikTok users agree the platform helps them escape the stress of everyday life, and an equal percentage agree TikTok brings people together.
The Trust Gap
A second major paradox emerges around content trust.
Only 30% of weekly TikTok users agree they trust the information, content, and news they see or hear on the platform. This represents a minority position among active users who continue engaging with the platform despite these reservations.
Trust levels vary significantly by ethnicity. Black or African American users show the highest trust at 40%, followed by White users at 32% and Hispanic or Latino users at 16%.
When comparing TikTok to other media types, 24% of weekly users report trusting information on the platform more, 55% trust it the same amount, and 21% trust it less. Among users aged 45 and older, only 12% trust TikTok information more than other media, while 65% trust it the same and 23% trust it less.
Content Value Perceptions Show Demographic Splits
User perceptions of TikTok’s content uniqueness reveal notable demographic variations.
Overall, 51% of weekly users agree that TikTok has content they cannot find anywhere else. However, Black or African American users show the highest agreement at 60%, followed by White users at 53% and Hispanic or Latino users at 40%.
Regarding educational value, 61% of weekly users agree that the platform helps them learn about opinions and perspectives different from their own. This response shows variation by ethnicity: 64% of White users agree, 59% of Black or African American users, and 40% of Hispanic or Latino users.
Advertising Effectiveness Persists Despite Trust Issues
The research documents a striking disconnect between low content trust and high advertising effectiveness.
While only 30% of users trust platform content, 78% of weekly TikTok users report they have seen or heard an advertisement for a product or service on the platform.
Among those who recall seeing advertisements, 83% report taking some action after exposure. Specific actions include: 48% gathering more information about a company or product; 43% purchasing a product or service they heard about on TikTok; 34% recommending a product to a friend or family member; and 31% following a brand or company on TikTok or another social media platform.
Purchase behavior shows variation by age. Among users aged 13-24, 42% report buying products they heard about on TikTok, compared to 47% of those aged 25-44 and 37% of those 45 and older. To gather more information, users aged 13-24 report taking this action at 54%, compared to 47% of those aged 25-44 and 45% of those aged 45 and older.
Discovery Function Remains Core Value Proposition
TikTok continues functioning as a significant discovery platform for audio content. Among weekly users, 64% report using TikTok with the intention to discover new music, rising to 75% among users aged 13-24.
For podcast discovery, 47% of weekly users report this intention, increasing to 51% among the youngest age group. Audiobook discovery registers at 30% overall, with 34% among users aged 13-24.
The study also finds 58% of weekly TikTok users have posted a video on the platform at some point, indicating active participation beyond passive consumption.
Demographic Profile Shows Platform’s Reach
Weekly TikTok users demonstrate younger age distribution and greater racial diversity than the general U.S. population. The platform’s weekly user base consists of 47% men and 53% women. Age distribution shows 34% are aged 13-24, 43% are aged 25-44, and 23% are 45 and older, compared to 20%, 30%, and 50% respectively in the general population.
Racial composition among weekly users includes 54% White, 17% Black or African American, and 22% Hispanic or Latino, compared to 68%, 11%, and 15% in the overall U.S. population aged 13 and older.
Hispanic or Latino users show the highest daily usage rate at 50%, followed by Black or African American users at 37% and White users at 24%.
The research, weighted to match U.S. demographics by gender, age, and geography, provides current data on platform dynamics as of October 2025, offering creators and marketers insight into the psychological complexity of TikTok’s user base.
Image credits: Edison Research
The full research is available here
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