Survey finds Facebook isn’t the most popular social media amongst teens
If you’re worried about what your kids are doing on Facebook, you probably don’t need to be, because according to a new Pew Research poll, not many of them are actually on Facebook.
The poll finds that YouTube is actually the most popular social media site amongst teems with 85% of teens saying they use YouTube, and another 32% saying the use it most often. While Facebook was the most dominant platform just three years ago, with 71% using it, it’s now dropped to fourth, with only 51% of teens saying they use it, and only 10% saying they use it most often.
Most Popular Social Media Platforms for Teens
- YouTube (85%)
- Instagram (72%)
- Snapchat (69%)
- Facebook (51%)
- Twitter (32%)
- Tumbler (9%)
- Reddit (7%)
- None of the above (3%)
When it comes to social media in general, 31% of teens say it has a positive effect on their lives, while 45% believe it has a mostly negative effect. As for the reasons for that negative effect, they include:
- Bullying/rumor spreading (27%)
- Harms relationships/lack of personal contact (17%)
- Unrealistic views of other’s lives (15%)
- Causes distractions /addiction (14%)
- Peer pressure (12%)
- Causes mental health issues (4%)
- Drama in general (2%)
And good luck trying to get teens to take a break, with the poll finding that most have at least some access to a phone or computer. In fact, the poll finds 88% of U.S. teens have access to a desktop computer or laptop, while 95% have access to a smartphone.
Source: Pew Research