Majorities of teenagers credit score social media with strengthening their friendships and offering help whereas additionally noting the emotionally charged facet of those platforms
How we did this Pew Analysis Middle performed this examine to raised perceive the experiences American teenagers are having with social media. For this evaluation, we surveyed 1,316 U.S. teenagers. The survey was performed on-line by Ipsos from April 14 to Could 4, 2022. This analysis was reviewed and accredited by an exterior institutional evaluate board (IRB), Advarra, which is an impartial committee of consultants that makes a speciality of serving to to guard the rights of analysis individuals. Ipsos recruited the teenagers by way of their dad and mom who have been part of its KnowledgePanel, a probability-based net panel recruited primarily by nationwide, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey is weighted to be consultant of U.S. teenagers ages 13 to 17 who dwell with dad and mom by age, gender, race, ethnicity, family revenue and different classes. This report additionally consists of quotes from teen focus teams. Pew Analysis Middle labored with PSB Insights to conduct 4 dwell, on-line focus teams with a complete of 16 U.S. 13- to 17-year-olds. The main target teams have been performed Jan. 12-13, 2022. Listed here are the questions used for this report, together with responses. Right here is the survey methodology and the main focus teams methodology.
Society has lengthy fretted about expertise’s impression on youth. However in contrast to radio and tv, the hyperconnected nature of social media has led to new anxieties, together with worries that these platforms could also be negatively impacting youngsters’ psychological well being. Simply this yr, the White Home introduced plans to fight potential harms teenagers could face when utilizing social media.
Regardless of these considerations, teenagers themselves paint a extra nuanced image of adolescent life on social media. It’s one wherein majorities credit score these platforms with deepening connections and offering a help community after they want it, whereas smaller – although notable – shares acknowledge the drama and pressures that may come together with utilizing social media, in line with a Pew Analysis Middle survey of U.S. teenagers ages 13 to 17 performed April 14 to Could 4, 2022.
Eight-in-ten teenagers say that what they see on social media makes them really feel extra linked to what’s occurring of their pals’ lives, whereas 71% say it makes them really feel like they’ve a spot the place they will present their artistic facet. And 67% say these platforms make them really feel as if they’ve individuals who can help them by powerful occasions. A smaller share – although nonetheless a majority – say the identical for feeling extra accepted. These constructive sentiments are expressed by teenagers throughout demographic teams.
When requested in regards to the general impression of social media on them personally, extra teenagers say its impact has been largely constructive (32%) than say it has been largely unfavourable (9%). The biggest share describes its impression in impartial phrases: 59% consider social media has had neither a constructive nor a unfavourable impact on them. For teenagers who view social media’s impact on them as largely constructive, many describe sustaining friendships, constructing connections, or accessing info as predominant causes they really feel this manner, with one teen saying:
“It connects me with the world, offers an outlet to study issues I in any other case wouldn’t have entry to, and permits me to find and discover pursuits.” – Teen woman
Whereas these youth describe the advantages they get from social media, this positivity isn’t unanimous. Certainly, 38% of teenagers say they really feel overwhelmed by all of the drama they see on social media, whereas about three-in-ten say these platforms have made them really feel like their pals are leaving them out of issues (31%) or have felt strain to publish content material that may get a lot of likes or feedback (29%). One other 23% say these platforms make them really feel worse about their very own life.
Teen ladies report encountering a few of these pressures at larger charges. Some 45% of women say they really feel overwhelmed due to all of the drama on social media, in contrast with 32% of boys. Ladies are additionally extra doubtless than boys to say social media has made them really feel like their pals are leaving them out of issues (37% vs. 24%) or worse about their very own lives (28% vs. 18%).
When requested how usually they resolve to not publish on social media out of concern of it being utilizing in opposition to them, older teen ladies stand out. For instance, half of 15- to 17-year-old ladies say they usually or generally resolve to not publish one thing on social media as a result of they fear others would possibly use it to embarrass them, in contrast with smaller shares of younger women or boys.
These are a few of the key findings from a Pew Analysis Middle on-line survey of 1,316 U.S. teenagers performed from April 14 to Could 4, 2022.
Teenagers usually tend to view social media as having a unfavourable impact on others than themselves
The sturdy presence of social media in lots of youngsters’ lives begs the query: What impression, if any, are these websites having on as we speak’s youth?
Even asteens are inclined to view the impression of social media on their very own lives in additional constructive than unfavourable phrases, they’re extra vital of its affect on their friends. Whereas 9% of teenagers suppose social media has had a largely unfavourable impact on them personally, that share rises to 32% when the identical query is framed about individuals their age.
There are additionally gaps when wanting on the constructive facet of those platforms. Some 32% of teenagers say social media has had a constructive impact on them personally, in contrast with a smaller share (24%) who say the identical about these platforms’ impression on teenagers extra broadly.
Nonetheless, no matter whether or not teenagers are assessing social media’s impression on themselves or others, the most typical means they describe its impact is as neither constructive nor unfavourable.
Teenagers mirror on dad and mom’ considerations and assessments of adlescent life on social media
Mother and father are sometimes on the entrance strains in navigating challenges their kids could face when utilizing social media. Whereas earlier Middle surveys mirror dad and mom’ anxieties about social media, solely a minority of teenagers on this survey describe their dad and mom as being extremely involved about their use of those websites.
Some 22% consider their dad and mom are extraordinarily or very fearful about them utilizing social media, whereas one other 27% say their dad and mom are considerably fearful. Nonetheless, many teenagers – 41% – say their dad and mom are fearful solely a bit or by no means. And 9% say they aren’t certain in regards to the stage of concern their dad and mom have over their social media use. These youth additionally weighed in on whether or not dad and mom general – not simply their very own – have an correct image of what it’s wish to be a youngster on social media. Some 39% say teenagers’ experiences are higher than dad and mom suppose, whereas 27% say issues on social media are worse for teenagers than dad and mom suppose. Nonetheless, one-third consider dad and mom’ assessments are about proper.
Teenagers who’ve a extra constructive outlook about social media usually tend to say these platforms profit them
Teenagers who see social media as having a largely constructive impact on individuals their age are extra doubtless than teenagers who see largely unfavourable results to say teenagers’ experiences on social media are higher than dad and mom suppose. They’re additionally extra prone to say they’ve had constructive experiences whereas personally utilizing these platforms.
Whether or not teenagers see social media’s results as constructive or unfavourable pertains to their perspective on whether or not dad and mom’ views stack as much as actuality. About six-in-ten teenagers who say that social media has had a largely constructive impact on individuals their age say teenagers’ experiences on social media are higher than dad and mom suppose, whereas a plurality of teenagers who say social media has been largely unfavourable for individuals their age say teenagers’ experiences on social media are worse than dad and mom suppose.
Teenagers who’ve a extra constructive view of social media’s impact on their friends report extra constructive private experiences with these platforms. Greater than half (54%) of teenagers who see social media as having a largely constructive impact on individuals their age say that what they see on social media makes them really feel much more linked to what’s occurring of their pals’ lives. About four-in-ten say they really feel loads like they’ve a spot the place they will present their artistic facet. Some 35% of teenagers who see the impact as largely constructive say social media makes them really feel loads like they’ve individuals who can help them by powerful occasions, and 28% say it makes them really feel much more accepted. By comparability, a lot smaller shares – about or quarter or fewer – of teenagers who see social media as having a unfavourable impact say what they see on social media makes them really feel every of those constructive experiences loads.
Whereas teenagers who’ve a constructive outlook on the impression of social media usually tend to report personally benefiting from these websites, they have a tendency to say they’ve skilled the extra unfavourable facet in comparable proportions as those that fee these websites’ impact on teenagers negatively. There may be one exception: 12% of teenagers who consider social media has a largely unfavourable impact on teenagers say they really feel overwhelmed by the entire drama on these platforms loads, in contrast with 6% of those that see its impression as largely constructive.
On-line activism isn’t widespread on social media amongst teenagers; solely a minority of teenagers are extremely involved about digital privateness
Past broad measurement of social media, this survey additionally tackled two standard subjects within the debates round social media: on-line activism and digital privateness.
Solely small shares of teenagers are participating in on-line activism on social media, however experiences and views fluctuate by political affiliation
On subjects from MAGA to Black Lives Matter, social media platforms have change into an vital means for individuals of all ages to share info, mobilize and talk about points which are vital to them.
However this survey reveals that solely a minority of teenagers say they’ve been civically energetic on social media prior to now yr by way of one of many three means requested about on the time of the survey. One-in-ten teenagers say they’ve inspired others to take motion on political or social points which are vital to them or have posted an image to point out their help for a political or social difficulty prior to now 12 months. Some 7% say the identical about utilizing hashtags associated to a political or social trigger on social media throughout this era. Taken collectively, 15% of teenagers have engaged in no less than considered one of these actions on social media prior to now 12 months.
Whereas majorities of each Democrats and Republicans haven’t used social media on this means, there are some notable partisan variations amongst those that have interaction in activism. For instance, 14% of teenagers who determine as Democrats or who lean towards the Democratic Occasion say they’ve used social media to encourage others to take motion on political or social points which are vital to them prior to now 12 months, in contrast with 6% of teenagers who’re Republicans or GOP leaners. And bigger shares of Democrats than Republicans say they’ve posted photos or used hashtags to point out help for a political or social difficulty prior to now yr. In complete, Democratic teenagers are twice as doubtless as Republican teenagers to have engaged in any of those actions throughout this time (20% vs. 10%).
Not solely do small shares of teenagers take part in a lot of these actions on social media, comparatively few say these platforms play a vital function in how they work together with political and social points.
About one-in-ten or fewer teenagers say social media is extraordinarily or essential to them personally in the case of exposing them to new viewpoints, getting concerned with points which are vital to them, discovering different individuals who share their views, serving to them determine their very own views on a problem or giving them a venue to precise their political beliefs.
Simply as Democratic teenagers are extra doubtless than Republican teenagers to interact in these types of on-line activism, additionally they see social media as a extra integral software for civic engagement. For instance, 18% of Democratic teenagers say social media is extraordinarily or essential to them in the case of exposing them to new factors of view, in contrast with 8% of Republican teenagers. Democrats are additionally extra doubtless than Republicans to say these platforms are no less than essential to them for getting concerned with points which are vital to them, discovering others who share their views or serving to them determine their very own mind-set.
And when requested about what individuals ought to do extra broadly, Democratic teenagers (22%) are extra doubtless than Republican teenagers (12%) to say that no matter whether or not they have interaction in on-line activism themselves, it is rather or extraordinarily vital for individuals to talk out about political or social points on social media.
Teenagers really feel an absence of management over their private knowledge however aren’t too involved about social media corporations having this info
Amid the continued privateness discussions within the media and amongst policymakers, teenagers have nuanced views on the subject. Simply 14% of teenagers report feeling plenty of management over the non-public info that social media corporations accumulate about them. In the meantime, 60% of teenagers really feel like they’ve little to no management. An extra 26% say they don’t seem to be certain how a lot management they’ve over corporations’ assortment of this info.
Regardless of feeling an absence of management over their knowledge being collected by social media corporations, teenagers are largely unconcerned. A fifth of teenagers (20%) say they really feel very or extraordinarily involved in regards to the quantity of their private info social media corporations might need. Nonetheless, a notable section of teenagers – 44% – say they’ve little or no concern about how a lot these corporations would possibly find out about them.
In their very own phrases, teenagers share their ideas about social media and the challenges and advantages of utilizing it
“TikTok is extra of a spot to look at movies … then Instagram [is] extra to see what my pals are as much as after which Snapchat [is] a means of extra direct communication.” – Teen woman
To tell and complement this survey, the Middle performed a sequence of adlescent focus teams to raised perceive how teenagers have been utilizing social media and excited about subjects associated to it. These focus teams spotlight how nuanced teenagers’ views on social media really are.
Teenagers share how completely different platforms serve completely different functions as they navigate on-line life and that utilizing these platforms can result in quite a lot of feelings and experiences, from nervousness to pleasure and from improved social connections to bullying:
“I’ve favored, particularly throughout the pandemic, having the ability to talk with my pals extra, since I couldn’t see them in particular person. After which additionally, having one thing to look at to entertain me, which was good, as a result of we have been simply caught at dwelling.” – Teen woman “Okay, for me, it’s like bullies or like unfavourable feedback or stuff like that, you simply see lots of people hating beneath the feedback, beneath your posts and stuff like that.” – Teen boy
“In the course of the pandemic, I really feel like much less individuals have been utilizing social media in sure methods, as a result of there wasn’t a lot to publish, like going out. You’re simply staying at dwelling. However TikTok, everybody was on it, as a result of it was their supply of leisure.” – Teen woman
As teenagers stroll us by their views, additionally they share how the pandemic modified (and didn’t change) their social media habits and what they suppose their lives can be like if social media disappeared in a single day:
“I feel it could be a bit bit [messed up if social media disappeared]. I spend 99% of my time indoors in entrance of my pc, if I’m not enjoying video games, I’m watching pirated movies. If I’m not watching movies, perhaps I’m studying an article. I’m at all times on-line. And I hardly step out of my room. I’ve had points with my dad. He mentioned my room is simply too creepy. I ought to come exterior and play with individuals however I’m not likely good at making pals. So, it’s a bit laborious on me.” – Teen boy “[When] we have been youthful, [social media] didn’t affect us and social media wasn’t as large as it’s now. I really feel like we have been extra free and extra blissful, and no stress or overthinking or insecure.” – Teen woman
For extra quotes and themes from the main focus teams, see Chapter 3.
