(PS8-55) Assessing the Acceptability of Screen Time and Content Moderation Features on Tiktok Using Sentiment Analysis

Abstract Text:

Introduction: TikTok is widely used among young people, with many adolescents and young adults reporting daily use ranging from once a day to “almost constantly” (Pew Research Center, 2023). Both prolonged social media use (e.g., “screen time”) and exposure to negatively valanced mental health content have been linked to poor mental health outcomes among young social media users (Coyne et al., 2021; Lewis et al., 2011; Suler, 2004). While TikTok offers screen time limits and content moderation tools, these features have demonstrated limited success in reducing usage or exposure to potentially harmful content (Atauri-Mezquida et al., 2025; Lookingbill & Le, 2024). Thus, further insight from TikTok users is needed to improve the effectiveness of existing screen time and content moderation features. The current study qualitatively examines young adult TikTok users’ willingness to engage with these features through TikTok.

Methods: Participants (N = 150) were TikTok users aged 18–26 (M = 20.57, SD = 2.41) who completed a qualitative interview on TikTok use and mental health. The sample was predominantly female (n = 112, 74.67%), white (n = 88, 58.67%), and Asian/Asian-American (n = 47, 31.33%). Responses were analyzed using lexicon-based sentiment analysis (Taboada et al., 2011) to assess emotional tone (positive, negative, neutral). Single-word responses were excluded from analysis. Sentiment polarity was determined using TextBlob software and reviewed by a member of the research team.

Results: Responses (n = 136) to the question of potential screen time limitations, “How do you feel about TikTok limiting your time online because your activity suggests that you may have depression, anxiety, or increased risk for suicide?”, were primarily positive (n = 70, 51.57%), with some neutral (n = 39, 28.68%) and negative (n = 27, 19.85%) sentiments. Similarly, responses (n = 138) to the question on content restrictions, “How would you feel if TikTok restricted content based on your previous activity and its analysis of your current mental health?”, were also largely positive (n = 82, 59.42%), followed by neutral (n = 30, 21.74%) and negative (n = 26, 18.84%) sentiments. Examples of responses will be included.

Conclusion: Overall, proposed screen time and content-based features were well-accepted by young adult TikTok users. Implementing screen time limits and content moderation based on the valance of previous activity may offer a more flexible and user-centered alternative compared to TikTok’s existing features. However, this study provides only preliminary user insights. Future research may consider incorporating additional qualitative methodologies, such as thematic analysis (TA; Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2023), to gain a deeper understanding of users’ perspectives.