Teens and Social Media Survey

 Today’s teens are navigating a digital landscape unlike the one experienced by their predecessors, particularly when it comes to the pervasive presence of social media. In 2022, an in-depth survey asked American teens – and their parents – about their experiences with and views toward social media.

Findings: 

• A majority of teens use social media, YouTube being the most popular.
• TikTok use is more common among Black teens and among teen girls.
• Majorities of teens use TikTok and YouTube daily, some more often than that. 
• A majority of teens said it would be difficult to give up social media.
• Teens are more likely to say social media has had a negative effect on others than on themselves, and are more likely to report positive social media use experiences than negative ones.
• When it comes to social media platforms abuse, many teens think criminal charges or permanent bans would help a lot.
• Some teens, especially older teen girls, avoid posting certain things on social media out of fear of embarrassment or other reasons.
• Many teens don't think that have control over what information that social media companies collect about them.
• Some 22% of teens think their parents are extremely or very worried about them using social media, but 46% of parents ARE worried. 

Vogels, E., Gelles-Watnick, R., & Massarat, N. (2023). Teens, social media and technology. Pew Reserach Center. 

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/

Popular apps and devices survey

 YouTube was the most common app used on a weekly basis by 4th-12th graders and for 9th-12th graders, email was the second most common app, according to a survey issued by The Social Institute, a company that provides curriculum addressing social-emotional learning, social media and technology. The survey, which included responses from nearly 23,000 students in U.S. public and private schools, found school-issued devices, TVs and smartphones are the most popular devices used by students on a weekly basis.

23 insights for 2023 on how students navigate well-being, social media and tech. Social Institute. https://thesocialinstitute.com/insight/report-23-insights-for-2023-on-how-students-navigate-well-being-social-media-and-tech/.

The Prevalence of YouTube in Education

According to a study by Pearson Education, YouTube is changing the way educators think as some school districts even have their own YouTube channels accessible for both teachers and students. According to this report, generation Z students, classified as being between the ages of 14 and 23, believe that YouTube is a bigger contributor to their education than textbooks. Education in America is shifting from more traditional methods of learning through text and lesson plans to more technological methods such as YouTube videos and other virtual platforms.

Global Research and Insights (2018). Beyond millennials: The next generation of learners. London, United Kingdom: Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/one-dot-com/one-dot-com/global/Files/news/news-annoucements/2018/The-Next-Generation-of-Learners_final.pdf

More Cyberbullying on Instagram

Scientists from Ditch the Label, an anti-bullying charity, conducted a study to determine how social media can cause anxiety among youth. By surveying more than 10,000 people aged 12 to 20, they examined cyberbullying on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Overall, over half of people had been sent a nasty private message and slightly less than half of people said they had a nasty comment posted on their profile. But Instagram was the most concerning. They found that slightly less than half of Instagram users had been bullied on the platform compared to a third for Facebook and Snapchat, and a tenth for YouTube and Twitter. Researchers suggest that the industry and civil society should develop a set of core values in the digital environment. They also suggested that tech companies should respond faster to online conflicts, concerns and inappropriate content. 

Ditch the Label (2017). The annual bullying survey 2017. Los Angeles, CA: Ditch the Label. https://www.ditchthelabel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/The-Annual-Bullying-Survey-2017-1.pdf