This survey gives voice to young people’s experiences using social media and other digital health tools to promote their well-being. It includes extensive open-ended questions, and compares findings to a 2018 baseline survey.
As social media evolves, we now see the diversity of ways it matters in young people’s lives: for informal learning, entertainment, access to news and information, participating in civic and political life, and to connect to people with whom they share common interests. The vast majority of Millennials, (86%), use social media daily, making them the “always on” generation. This fact has implications for many aspects of their lives including their social connections, consumption of news and entertainment, informal learning, and engagement in civic life. While White and Latino Millennials use social media to navigate life, a key and consistent finding throughout this study from Vicky Rideout and the University of Texas’s S. Craig Watkins is that Black Millennials use social media more frequently and for a wider variety of activities.
“The complexity of social media’s role in young people’s lives may frustrate those looking for easy answers or simplistic solutions. But it is a reality that this survey has made abundantly clear.” Read the new survey VJR Consulting did for Common Sense Media, tracking trends in teen social media use from 2012 to 2018. The survey includes data about how often US teens use social media; specific actions they take (active vs. passive use); when they do or don’t take breaks from social media; how often they encounter racist and sexist content online; and whether social media makes them feel better or worse about themselves. The survey explores the relationship of social media use with teens’ social and emotional well-being, including a special focus on more vulnerable teens.
This nationally representative probability survey of 14- to 22-year-olds sheds important new light on the relationship between social media use and adolescent depression. The survey reveals that teens and young adults are making extensive use of the internet, social media, and mobile apps to help address their depression and anxiety. In addition, young people suffering from depression or anxiety have diverse responses to social media – for some, it is an important lifeline to support and human connection, while for others it just reinforces negative emotions. Many young people exhibit a high degree of 'agency' about how they use social media - consciously curating their feeds for inspiration and support, or staying off social media entirely during tough times.
June 26, 2012: Read the new study we directed and wrote for Common Sense Media, about how teens think social media impacts their social and emotional well-being.
