Technology Acceptance Model in video-sharing platforms: comparisons between TikTok and YouTube

Introduction Online video-sharing platforms – TikTok and YouTube – have become central to young adults’ daily activities. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study examined how and why individuals adopt these platforms and specifically addressed how adoption patterns and constructs differ between short-form and long-form video contexts. Methods A self-reported online survey was conducted to collect data from 351 university-aged TikTok and YouTube users. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were employed to evaluate the model and test hypothesized path relationships. Results Our participants’ use of TikTok and YouTube was directly predicted by perceived ease of use and usefulness, with platform attitude serving as a key structural antecedent to actual usage. Comparative SEM analysis demonstrated that the TAM possessed significantly higher predictive validity for actual usage on TikTok than on YouTube. In addition, t-tests showed significant mean-level differences in user evaluations such that TikTok scored higher in perceived ease of use and actual usage, while YouTube scored higher in perceived usefulness and overall attitude. Discussion This study extends TAM literature to modern video-sharing platforms, providing significant insights into how young adults accept each platform and whether there are significant differences between TikTok and YouTube use.