A recent survey revealed that many social media users turn to platforms to kill time, with TikTok leading the charge.
The 2024 Social Media User Survey, conducted by the Korea Press Foundation, found that 48.7% of TikTok users used the app mainly to pass the time or out of habit. Instagram followed closely, with 45.3% of its users citing the same reasons. Across 35 social media platforms surveyed, 54.3% of respondents admitted using social media as a time-filler or routine.
Among the platforms surveyed, TikTok stood out for having the highest percentage of users who use the app for leisurely or habitual purposes. This number surpasses other popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, as well as messaging services like KakaoTalk and LINE.
The survey also revealed that users in their 30s are the most likely to use TikTok to pass the time, with 54.8% reporting this behavior. Interestingly, a significant percentage of older users also use the app for the same purpose, with 52.5% of those in their 60s and 51.5% of those in their 70s reporting similar usage patterns.
However, the most common reason for using TikTok is still “fun, interesting content,” with 64.6% of users stating this as their primary motivation. Additionally, 52.2% of TikTok users log into the app at least once a day. The app’s largest demographic is the 19- 29 age group, which makes up 33.5% of its user base, followed by users in their 30s at 28.2%.