Can TikTok help cut my screen time?

Caroline Cronjaeger is writing her dissertation on a book she discovered on YouTube

When Amy Laird discovered she was spending seven hours a day on her phone, she said it was her "rock bottom" moment.

The 18-year-old student turned to BookTok - a community of book lovers on TikTok - in her bid to reduce her screentime.

She is not the only young person to spend hours glued to her screen - statistics suggest 18 to 24-year-olds average six hours and 20 minutes online every day.

And less than a third of young Scots say they enjoy reading in their spare time.

But could social media trends like BookTok persuade them to put down their phones, and pick up a book instead?

Booktok is a TikTok community where users share book reviews, recommendations, and literature-themed content such as "what would Lizzy Bennet wear?"

It is especially popular for genres like romance, young adult fiction and "romantasy," often turning older books into sudden bestsellers.

Some of the most popular BookTok videos have more than eight million interactions.

Rebecca Yarros has found success with books including Onyx Storm, part of her Empyrean series which is currently being adapted for TV.

Meanwhile, Sarah J. Maas has developed a cult following, particularly for A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Amy has made reading a regular habit since finding Booktok

Amy felt she was spending so much time on her phone, she was missing out on real life experiences.

"I was averaging about seven hours a day and thought I'm experiencing life through this device where reality is being curated for me," she told BBC News.

Since turning to BookTok, she has made reading a regular habit.

"On average, I'd say I read every other day, even if it's just 10 pages of a novel per night," she said.

"My favourite books are Pride and Prejudice, The Handmaid's Tale and Gone With the Wind."

Some Booktok videos have racked up eight million "likes"

UK adults spend four hours and 30 minutes online each day, according to a 2025 report by Ofcom - 10 minutes more than in 2024.

People aged 18 to 24 were found to be most active online, averaging six hours and 20 minutes daily.

A study by the National Literacy Trust found that in Scotland only three in 10 people from the age of eight to 18 enjoyed reading in their free time and  one in six read daily in their free time.

Isabella reads for hours before she goes to bed

Booktok helped decrease screen time for 19‑year‑old student Isabella Potamitis Briozzo.

"I usually read for two to two-and-a-half hours before I go to bed," she said.

"And if I have any spare time I try to read as much as I can."

Isabella discovered her favourite series - The Caraval by Stephanie Garber - through BookTok and "just got addicted immediately".

"Some of my favourite books come from Booktok," she said.

"Usually over the holidays, I tend to go days where I just read and that's all I do, it's just something that helps me relax," she added.

James like to use Booktok to get summaries of books

James Green, a 20-year-old student at Manchester Metropolitan University, has recently being diagnosed with ADHD.

He recognises that his attention difficulties exist without social media, but believes platforms like BookTok can genuinely help rebuild reading habits.

"It definitely helped me and inspired me to read more," he said.

"It actually helped me put down my phone, because it made me want to read a lot more."

He added: "Short form content is helpful in giving a useful but concise insight into different books, which is why it is a good way to form a reading habit"

Meanwhile Caroline Cronjaeger, a 25-year-old student, is writing her dissertation on Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway - a book she found on YouTube.

"I read quite a lot, from two to three hours day," she said.

"Even more if I have a lot of free time and a really good book in my hands.

"Mrs Dalloway is also the reason why I chose to study English literature."