What Kids Say about Social Media and Friendships

Late last year, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey of almost fourteen hundred teens, ages thirteen to seventeen, to come to an understanding of our teenagers’ experiences and attitudes around social media and their mental health. One of the most interesting findings is related to how social media affects one’s friendships. Teens say that there are positive effects on friendships, including being more connected to what’s going on in their friends’ lives, finding it to be a place to show their creative side, finding people to help them during difficult times, and making them feel more accepted. But they also site negative impacts, including being overwhelmed by all the social drama, feeling the pressure to create content that others will like, feeling like their friends are leaving them out of things, and making them compare in ways that makes them feel worse about their own lives. Parents, this mixed bag is one reason why many experts are advising no social media until the age of sixteen.