TikTok Launches Bedtime Pop-Ups to Curb Teen Doomscrolling as UK Cracks Down on Online Harm

Social media platforms including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and TikTok are under growing pressure in the UK to safeguard young users from online harm.

In April, the Office of Communications (Ofcom) published its final children's codes, part of the Online Safety Act. These regulations are aimed at holding companies like Meta and ByteDance accountable for reducing harmful content and addictive behaviours such as doomscrolling. Tech giants have been warned they could face severe penalties or even be banned from operating in the UK if they fail to comply.

In response, TikTok has launched a new initiative designed to combat doomscrolling among teenage users, particularly at night.

TikTok Rolls Out Anti-Doomscrolling Feature

According to Sky News, TikTok's new feature is aimed at breaking the cycle of endless scrolling before bed. Starting after 10:00 p.m., the app will display meditation guides that appear full-screen and are intentionally difficult to dismiss.

The feature will be automatically enabled for all users under the age of 18. Adults who struggle with late-night scrolling can access the feature too, but they must activate it manually in their settings.

Early testing of the feature showed promising results. TikTok reported that 98% of teenagers who encountered the prompts chose to keep them switched on.

In addition, TikTok announced plans to allocate more advertising space to mental health charities, as part of a broader push to support young users and promote digital wellbeing.

Understanding Doomscrolling Among Teens

In a BBC News interview, Dr Karen Mansfield, a post-doctoral researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute, confirmed that doomscrolling has become a widespread issue among teenagers. The term refers to the habit of spending excessive time scrolling through negative or emotionally stimulating content online.

'It's sort of like a reward system in the brain where you end up being entertained very quickly,' she explained. The process involves the release of dopamine, a chemical linked to pleasure and reward, which keeps users hooked.

'So our brain ends up being conditioned to scrolling through and scrolling through and, as a result, we keep losing track of time,' she added.

Dr Mansfield noted that humans are 'creatures of habit', which means once we begin a behaviour, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop. For teenagers looking to combat doomscrolling, she suggested identifying which types of content are the hardest to disengage from as a first step toward self-regulation.

Could This Be a Turning Point?

Doomscrolling remains a serious issue, particularly for younger audiences. TikTok's new anti-doomscrolling feature marks a significant step in acknowledging and addressing the problem. If other social media companies follow suit with similar initiatives, it could represent a meaningful shift in how platforms support healthier digital habits.