Pew Teens' Experiences on TikTok, IG, Snap 2026

“Pew Research Center, April 2026, "Teens' Experiences on TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat"”

Recommended citation block on cover.

“We surveyed 1,458 U.S. teens and their parents online from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, 2025.”

“FOR RELEASE APRIL 15, 2026”

Published April 15, 2026.

“We surveyed 1,458 U.S. teens and their parents online from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, 2025.”

Sept. 25 – Oct. 9, 2025.

“The analysis in this report is based on a self-administered web survey conducted from Sept. 25 to Oct. 9, 2025, among a sample of 1,458 dyads, with each dyad (or pair) comprised of one U.S. teen age 13 to 17 and one parent per teen.”

1,458 teens and 1,458 parents (dyads). Harm findings on this page reflect the teen sub-sample of 1,458, weighted to represent US teens 13-17.

“one U.S. teen age 13 to 17 and one parent per teen”

“The survey was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs in English and Spanish using KnowledgePanel, its nationally representative online research panel.”

Address-based probability panel; teens recruited via their KnowledgePanel-member parents. See report p.25-26 for full ABS methodology and weighting details.

“Have you ever experienced any of the following on Instagram?…” “Being called an offensive name”“Being physically threatened”“Having someone spread rumors about you”Response options: Yes, this has happened to me / No, this has not happened to me / No answer

TIGOH asks about bullying experiences on Instagram; TSCOH (Snapchat, p.13) and TTTOH (TikTok, p.16) repeat the same three items with the platform substituted in the stem. Fielded only to users of each platform. Reported per-platform in the April 2026 report on p.10.

“Do you think using Instagram has helped or hurt……” “Your mental health”“How productive you are”“How much sleep you get”“Your friendships”Response options: Helped a lot / Helped a little / Neither helped nor hurt / Hurt a little / Hurt a lot / No answer

TIGEFFECT (p.9), TSCEFFECT (p.12), and TTTEFFECT (p.15) ask platform users about effects on mental health, productivity, sleep, and friendships.

“The next section asks about specific social media platforms.”

Blocks 4-6 (per-platform harm and impact batteries) are asked only about Instagram (Block 4, TIGOH/TIGEFFECT), Snapchat (Block 5, TSCOH/TSCEFFECT), and TikTok (Block 6, TTTOH/TTTEFFECT). Each block is gated on the respondent being a user of that platform.

“Have you ever experienced any of the following on Instagram?”

The question names each platform: TIGOH names Instagram; TSCOH (p.13) names Snapchat; TTTOH (p.16) names TikTok. Each block is gated to users of that platform (Instagram N=908, Snapchat N=772, TikTok N=996).

“Do you think using Instagram has helped or hurt…”

The question names each platform: TIGEFFECT names Instagram; TSCEFFECT (p.12) names Snapchat; TTTEFFECT (p.15) names TikTok. Each block is gated to users of that platform (Instagram N=908, Snapchat N=772, TikTok N=996).