Social media videos may be leading to cognitive decline, research shows

Ottoline Spearman

A new study suggests that short-form content like TikTok videos and Instagram Reels may be having a noticeable impact on people's brain function.

The research published by the American Psychological Association found that short-form video consumption was consistently associated with poorer cognitive performance, particularly when it comes to the skills that help us stay focused and resist distractions.

The study analysed data from nearly 100,000 participants, and found that consuming these videos negatively affected mental health, including greater anxiety, more stress, disrupted sleep and a general drop in overall mood.

Interestingly, consuming short-form videos was not associated with body image or self-esteem, and the authors said that further research is needed to clarify this further.