Report · Culture

How often people see unwanted or harmful content while scrolling

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted May 1 to 4, 2026, 52% of Americans said they come across unwanted or emotionally harmful material on short-form video platforms at least sometimes when they scroll.

Another 25% said this happens rarely, 12% said never, and 11% said they do not use short-form video platforms.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

52% encounter harmful short-form video content at least sometimes.

How frequently do you come across unwanted or emotionally harmful material when you are scrolling on short-form video platforms (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc.)?

  • Sometimes / Occasionally when I scroll 32.2%
  • Rarely / Infrequently when I scroll 25.1%
  • Frequently / Most times I scroll 13.8%
  • Never 12.3%
  • I don't use short-form video platforms 10.9%
  • Always / Every time I scroll 5.7%

2026 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.3%

2

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Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2026-05-01 → 2026-05-04
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.3%
Module
2

Source

Citation

SBM Omnibus Survey #2026-049, fielded May 1-4, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.3%.

https://reports.verasight.io/r/sbm-2026

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. When a wave report is published, its field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io. Verified legacy reports remain on their original hosts, and unpublished reports are marked pending.
Transparency
Verasight is a member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative.

The canonical report hub is reports.verasight.io; older reports may remain on verified legacy hosts.