Nearly half of American teens are on the internet ‘almost constantly.’ Here’s what they’re viewing
1 week, 3 days ago

Nearly half of American teens are on the internet ‘almost constantly.’ Here’s what they’re viewing

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Seventy-five percent of teens aged 15 to 17 are more likely to use social media than teens aged 13 to 14 of whom only 43 percent used the apps as frequently. Seventy-three percent of Democratic teens used TikTok compared with 52 percent of Republican teens who reported using the platform. In contrast, thirty-seven percent of white teens reported using social media for the same amount of time. In that survey, 81 percent of US adults favored parental consent for minors using social media compared with 46 percent of teens.

Social Media Media Social Youtube Reported Tiktok Instagram Teens Indytech  media  sign  viewing  half  teens  social  heres  internet  tiktok  constantly  used  american  using  nearly  survey  reported  theyre

History of this topic

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media
6 days, 17 hours ago

Dutch MP will propose banning children under 15 from using social media

NL Times  

Dutch political party D66 is advocating for a minimum age of 15 for social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. “Tech giants are harming children’s health because social media is deliberately designed to be addictive,” said D66 parliamentarian Hanneke van der Werf, according to RTL." “The Netherlands doesn’t let cigarette manufacturers determine and enforce age restrictions,” Van der …

Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds
Trending News
1 week, 4 days ago

Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds

Associated Press  

Nearly half of American teenagers say they are online “constantly” despite concerns about the effects of social media and smartphones on their mental health, according to a new report published Thursday by the Pew Research Center. As in past years, YouTube was the single most popular platform teenagers used — 90% said they watched videos on the site, down slightly …

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges
2 weeks, 3 days ago

Texas weighs social media bans for minors as schools and police face challenges

Associated Press  

As school districts struggle to control the spread of cyberbullying, sexual abuse images and online exploitation among their students, Texas lawmakers could consider banning social media from minors, among other sweeping measures, in the upcoming legislative session. While they welcome any efforts to reduce harm to children, school officials and cybercrime investigators say more needs to be done to hold …

Safety is ‘at the core’ of TikTok, European executive says
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Safety is ‘at the core’ of TikTok, European executive says

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The safety of TikTok users “is at the core of the platform”, one …

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show
2 months, 1 week ago

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show

NPR  

TikTok has known about how the app can harm teens and preteens, new documents show AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: TikTok executives were acutely aware of the potential dangers the app could cause to teens but appeared unconcerned, even though the company's own internal research validated the fears child safety advocates have been raising for years. But in internal documents, TikTok admitted …

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people
2 months, 1 week ago

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people

NPR  

Inside the TikTok documents: Stripping teens and boosting 'attractive' people toggle caption Damian Dovarganes/AP Kids as young as 15 were stripping on TikTok’s live feature fueled by adults who were paying for it. TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes beautiful people When TikTok’s main video feed saw “a high volume of … not attractive subjects” filling everyone’s screens, the app rejiggered its algorithm …

TikTok sued by 14 attorneys general over alleged harm to children’s mental health
2 months, 2 weeks ago

TikTok sued by 14 attorneys general over alleged harm to children’s mental health

CNN  

New York CNN — A bipartisan group of 14 attorneys general from across the country filed lawsuits on Tuesday against TikTok, alleging that the platform has “addicted” young people and harmed their mental health. “TikTok’s underlying business model focuses on maximizing young users’ time on the platform so the company can boost revenue from selling targeted ads,” the attorneys general …

Teen social media use: Why banning isn’t the answer
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Teen social media use: Why banning isn’t the answer

Hindustan Times  

The debate around whether we should ban access to social media for teenagers aged 13 to 16 has gained significant attention. Social media is a significant part of modern communication, and teens need to develop digital literacy skills, including how to recognise misinformation, avoid dangerous interactions, and use the platforms in a healthy way. Rather than an outright ban, a …

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction
3 months, 1 week ago

Australian survey finds regular use of social media harming teenagers' life satisfaction

ABC  

Regular use of some social media platforms is negatively impacting the life satisfaction of Australian teenagers, according to the latest findings from the nation's largest survey of young people. Non-binary students who regularly use social media reported the lowest levels of life satisfaction, particularly for those who use Discord. "While we know that young people face many challenges that could …

New study links early childhood tablet use to anger outbursts
4 months, 1 week ago

New study links early childhood tablet use to anger outbursts

CNN  

CNN — Virtually every parent of young children has experienced outbursts of anger and frustration from their toddlers, whether it’s time to get up, go to bed or eat a sandwich without the crusts cut off. The new study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, shows that child tablet use at 3.5 years old was associated with a higher number …

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR
4 months, 2 weeks ago

Troubling ties between teens, social media and mental health : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Why we need to talk about teens, social media and mental health Enlarge this image toggle caption Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images Rates of depression and anxiety have risen among teens over the last decade. Amid this ongoing mental health crisis, the American Psychological Association issued guidelines for parents to increase protection for teens online …

When should teenagers get a phone and how can families delay their child joining social media?
4 months, 3 weeks ago

When should teenagers get a phone and how can families delay their child joining social media?

ABC  

Aalia Elachi was eight when some of her friends started getting smartphones, prompting her to ask her parents for one, too. Now nearly 15, Aalia still doesn't have a phone or use social media, something she and her parents say they're grateful for. Professor Haidt, whose latest book is The Anxious Generation, argues that children old enough to have progressed …

One in five young voters prefers TikTok and Instagram for election news, poll reveals
5 months, 4 weeks ago

One in five young voters prefers TikTok and Instagram for election news, poll reveals

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} As the country …

44% of UK adults look at their smartphones every hour - more than the Americans, French and Germans
7 months, 1 week ago

44% of UK adults look at their smartphones every hour - more than the Americans, French and Germans

Daily Mail  

British adults are more addicted to using their phones than those in France, Germany and America, a poll has revealed. A representative poll of 8,000 people suggests that 44 per cent of adults in the UK look at their phone every hour, compared to 29 per cent in France, 25 per cent in Germany and 41 per cent in America. …

Younger children increasingly online and unsupervised, Ofcom says
8 months ago

Younger children increasingly online and unsupervised, Ofcom says

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In its annual study of children’s relationship with the …

4 Canadian school boards sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for disrupting students’ education
8 months, 3 weeks ago

4 Canadian school boards sue Snapchat, TikTok and Meta for disrupting students’ education

Associated Press  

TORONTO — Four of the largest school boards in the Canadian province of Ontario said Thursday they launched lawsuits against TikTok, Meta and SnapChat alleging the social media platforms are disrupting student learning. Rachel Chernos, a trustee for the Toronto District School Board, said teachers and parents are noticing social withdrawal, anxiety, attention problems, cyber bullying and mental health issues. …

Americans divided on TikTok ban even as Biden campaign joins the app: Poll results
10 months ago

Americans divided on TikTok ban even as Biden campaign joins the app: Poll results

The Hindu  

U.S. President Joe Biden’s campaign is embracing TikTok to court younger voters ahead of the presidential elections, but U.S. adults have mixed views about whether the video-sharing app should even operate in the country. Talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch in the U.S. early last year after a series of Western lawmakers, governments and regulators raised concerns …

Americans divided on TikTok ban even as Biden campaign joins the app, AP-NORC poll shows
10 months, 1 week ago

Americans divided on TikTok ban even as Biden campaign joins the app, AP-NORC poll shows

Associated Press  

President Joe Biden’s campaign is embracing TikTok to court younger voters ahead of the presidential elections, but U.S. adults have mixed views about whether the video-sharing app should even operate in the country. AP AUDIO: Americans divided on TikTok ban even as Biden campaign joins the app, AP-NORC poll shows. But then the reality is, it could backfire.” A majority …

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings
10 months, 3 weeks ago

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok CEOs face tough questions on child safety online I Watch LIVE proceedings

India TV News  

California: The CEOs of top social media apps and video streaming platforms including Meta, TikTok, X and others are testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee about child exploitation on their platforms, as lawmakers, families and advocates are growing increasingly concerned about the effects of social media on young people’s lives. So independent regulation needs to step in.” Facebook to face …

How TikTok ate kids’ brains
11 months ago

How TikTok ate kids’ brains

The Telegraph  

Yet TikTok’s growing influence and importance among kids and teenagers has sparked alarm in some quarters. Some activists, schools and researchers believe TikTok and short-form video apps leave children vulnerable to “rabbit holes” that can drag them towards extreme, radicalising or depressing content. Andy Burrows, of the online safety advocacy group the Molly Rose Foundation, says TikTok has “probably the …

Half of British teens feel addicted to social media with girls the worst affected, research shows
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Half of British teens feel addicted to social media with girls the worst affected, research shows

Daily Mail  

Half of British teenagers fear they have become addicted to social media, worrying research has shown. It comes amid mounting calls for companies including Meta to be held to account over the impact of excessive social media use on the mental health of users. Andy Burrows, adviser to the Molly Rose Foundation, set up in memory of 14-year-old Molly Russell …

Social media giants like Facebook and TikTok made an estimated $11 billion a year from users under 18
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Social media giants like Facebook and TikTok made an estimated $11 billion a year from users under 18

Daily Mail  

The social media giants of the world generated $10.7 billion in advertising revenue in 2022, all from their US users who are 17 years old or younger, a study has claimed. According to a new study, social media companies made an estimated $10.7 billion in advertising revenue in 2022 from children and adolescents in the US. The figures are staggering: …

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely
1 year ago

DC Edit | Use social media time wisely

Deccan Chronicle  

A new study reveals what was always self-evident since the rise of the internet and the preponderance of social media platforms. The study finds small reductions in social media use are linked to improvements in health and well-being. All heavy users of the social media, particularly young people for whom its use may have become addictive, would have been aware …

Hispanic teens have high social media usage, according to new Pew Research survey
1 year ago

Hispanic teens have high social media usage, according to new Pew Research survey

LA Times  

Teens are big consumers of social media but a recent Pew Research Center survey found that Hispanic teens are using it at a much higher rate than other ethnic populations. Based on the survey, Hispanic teens say that they are online “almost constantly” at 55%. Overall, 46% of the teens from the survey said they are online “almost constantly.” While …

Under-16s could face limits on social media
1 year ago

Under-16s could face limits on social media

The Telegraph  

Under-16s could be forced to ask their parents for permission before using social media under proposals being considered by Rishi Sunak. Ministers are devising plans for a consultation on the potential harms to children from social networks such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in the new year, which could lead to teenagers being forced to obtain their parents’ permission to …

YouTube tops in popular list of platforms among teens | Know-why
1 year ago

YouTube tops in popular list of platforms among teens | Know-why

India TV News  

In a recent report, around 7 in 10 teens visit YouTube every day, including around 16 per cent who were witnessed being "almost constant" on the site. As per the Pew Research Center, YouTube will be continuing to top in popular list of platforms among teens, followed by three social media platforms- TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. Older teens are more …

Pew survey: YouTube tops teens’ social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly
1 year ago

Pew survey: YouTube tops teens’ social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Teen usage of social media hasn’t dropped much, despite rising concerns about its effects on the mental health of adolescents, a survey from the Pew Research Institute found. But the data also found that roughly one in six teens describe their use of two platforms — YouTube and TikTok — as “almost constant.” Seventy-one percent of teens …

TikTok has a problem of sexual explicit material. How children are at risk
1 year, 1 month ago

TikTok has a problem of sexual explicit material. How children are at risk

Firstpost  

As the top social media app used by teens, the presence of explicit content on TikTok can put young users in harm’s way. And while TikTok and regulators scramble to catch up with moderation needs, it’s ultimately up to parents and users to navigate these harms online Explicit content has long been a feature of the internet and social media, …

‘You can’t get away from it’: Third of teens in UK seeing real-life violence on TikTok and more than half on other social media
1 year, 1 month ago

‘You can’t get away from it’: Third of teens in UK seeing real-life violence on TikTok and more than half on other social media

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. When asked why young people commit acts of violence in …

Third of teenagers have seen real-life violence on TikTok, research suggests
1 year, 1 month ago

Third of teenagers have seen real-life violence on TikTok, research suggests

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A third of 13 to 17-year-olds have seen footage of real-life …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of U.S. states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta for harming young people's mental health, collecting data on children

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health
1 year, 1 month ago

States sue Meta claiming its social platforms are addictive and harm children’s mental health

Associated Press  

Dozens of US states, including California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. “Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta …

Social media, OTT, online gaming usage rises: 60% urban kids spend 3 hours daily | Data
1 year, 2 months ago

Social media, OTT, online gaming usage rises: 60% urban kids spend 3 hours daily | Data

The Hindu  

After the COVID-19 period, as children returned to school and face-to-face teaching recommenced, there was an upswing in the use of the Internet for leisure. The nationwide survey aimed to grasp the primary concerns parents had regarding their children’s prolonged usage of social media, OTT, and online gaming platforms. The survey asked about the daily Internet consumption of children aged …

Over 60% of global population active on social media- New study reveals
1 year, 4 months ago

Over 60% of global population active on social media- New study reveals

India TV News  

According to a recent study by digital advisory firm Kepios, more than 60% of the world's population, nearly five billion people, are actively engaged on social media platforms. Social media usage varies significantly by region, with East and Central Africa having just one out of 11 people using social media, while India sees one out of three people using these …

Children of the web
1 year, 5 months ago

Children of the web

The Hindu  

It was during the peak of the pandemic that Instagram reels became ‘dopamine’ for Anika*, 16, a Delhi-based student. The advisory cited two studies that found frequent users of social media “can experience changes in brain structure similar to changes seen in individuals with substance use or gambling addictions”. Excessive social media use could be associated with changes in the …

TikTok's 'left Generation Covid with 10-minute attention spans'
1 year, 6 months ago

TikTok's 'left Generation Covid with 10-minute attention spans'

Daily Mail  

A poll found pupils are now more likely to daydream and complain of boredom Kids are struggling to focus on activities for more than 10 minutes at a time in the wake of Covid, teachers have warned. Some 85 per cent of teachers said that the 'ever-swiping nature of social media' has negatively affected pupils' attention span. Users can flick …

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory
1 year, 6 months ago

Social media poses profound risk to teenagers' mental health, says US Surgeon General in advisory

Hindustan Times  

US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy in a new advisory released on Tuesday has warned about risks associated with social media use in teenagers, and said that social media can have "profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents." The advisory says that at this time, there isn't enough evidence to determine if social …

‘Protect kids now.’ Social media may not be safe for young people, surgeon general warns
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Protect kids now.’ Social media may not be safe for young people, surgeon general warns

LA Times  

A teenager holds her phone. The U.S. surgeon general is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media is safe for young people — and is calling on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now.” The U.S. surgeon general is warning there is not enough evidence to show that social media …

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them
1 year, 7 months ago

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them

NPR  

Teens say social media is stressing them out. Here's how to help them Enlarge this image toggle caption Rose Wong for NPR Rose Wong for NPR "What advice would you give to young people who are new to social media?" About 95% of U.S. teens today use some type of social media, and about a third say they use it …

For Parents Fearful Of Their Teens’ Social Media Use, Here’s Some Hope — And Advice
1 year, 8 months ago

For Parents Fearful Of Their Teens’ Social Media Use, Here’s Some Hope — And Advice

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING If you have a teen girl, chances are she’s spending hours online every day — and you’re probably spending at least as many hours worrying about her safety there. “If they are feeling down on themselves, they’re going to go to social media and pick out all the things that everybody else is better at than they …

Today’s Cache | Elon Musk wants slower AI; Meta, Google in Brazil’s SC; and UK toddlers’ love for social media
1 year, 8 months ago

Today’s Cache | Elon Musk wants slower AI; Meta, Google in Brazil’s SC; and UK toddlers’ love for social media

The Hindu  

Elon Musk, experts want slower AI Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk has joined a group of AI experts and tech industry leaders in signing an open letter that called for a six-month pause in training AI systems that were more advanced than OpenAI’s GPT-4. Meta and Google stand before Brazil’s SC Facebook-owner Meta and Alphabet’s Google came before Brazil’s …

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children
1 year, 8 months ago

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children

The Hindu  

The number of children using TikTok and Snapchat rose last year in Britain, according to research published by media regulator Ofcom. Around half of those aged between 3 and 17 use TikTok and Snapchat, figures collected as part of the watchdog’s annual survey of children's and parents’ online attitudes showed. Ofcom’s annual report on attitudes towards media found children’s usage …

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children, regulator data shows
1 year, 8 months ago

TikTok, Snapchat growing in popularity among UK children, regulator data shows

Live Mint  

The number of children using TikTok and Snapchat rose last year in Britain, according to research published by media regulator Ofcom. Around half of those aged between 3 and 17 use TikTok and Snapchat, figures collected as part of the watchdog’s annual survey of children's and parents’ online attitudes showed. The study found a slight increase in both apps’ popularity …

Is 13 too young to have TikTok or an Instagram account? Some medical experts think so
1 year, 10 months ago

Is 13 too young to have TikTok or an Instagram account? Some medical experts think so

ABC  

The surgeon general is the "nation's doctor" in the United States. He said it poses a risk to young people's "self-worth and their relationships", adding: "I, personally, based on the data I've seen, believe that 13 is too early … the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children." Young people …

The Dark Side of Social Media: How it's Impacting the Mental Health of Our Youth
1 year, 11 months ago

The Dark Side of Social Media: How it's Impacting the Mental Health of Our Youth

News 18  

Have you ever thought about the darker side of scrolling on the screens for hours and hours, hooked to pictures and videos and manipulating your mind to ignore issues around you? Let’s understand the impact of social media on children’s mental health and what steps parents, guardians, and teachers can take to reduce this impact. Prakriti Poddar, Global Head, Mental …

Keep It Real or Lose Gen Z
1 year, 11 months ago

Keep It Real or Lose Gen Z

Wired  

In 2023, social media will change, with young users increasingly pushing for more meaningful online interactions. Young people are becoming disillusioned with the legacy experience, whether it’s Instagram’s jumbled content feed of suggested posts and influencer-driven culture; the divisive and combative nature of interactions on Twitter; or ever-changing features that don’t prioritize the user experience—a criticism voiced by some of …

Report: TikTok boosts posts about eating disorders, suicide
2 years ago

Report: TikTok boosts posts about eating disorders, suicide

Associated Press  

TikTok’s algorithms are promoting videos about self-harm and eating disorders to vulnerable teens, according to a report published Wednesday that highlights concerns about social media and its impact on youth mental health. “It’s like being stuck in a hall of distorted mirrors where you’re constantly being told you’re ugly, you’re not good enough, maybe you should kill yourself,” said the …

Which social media platform is most popular among US teens? Research reveals
2 years, 3 months ago

Which social media platform is most popular among US teens? Research reveals

Hindustan Times  

Video content platform TikTok is among the top social media platform for American teens while the popularity of Facebook has fallen, a new survey by Pew Research has said. The survey of American teenagers between ages 13 and 17 found that 67 per cent of them said they use TikTok and 16 per cent of all the teens said they …

Discover Related