YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram remain the most popular platforms used by American teenagers despite warnings about the dangers of excessive social media use, according to a new study.
YouTube topped the list, with more than nine out of 10 respondents saying they use the app, according to the study conducted by the Pew Research Center. Over 70% of teens in the survey say they visit the video-sharing platform daily. At the extreme end, 16% claim they remain on the site almost constantly.
While TikTok, in second place, did not produce as high a rate of daily teen visitors, a slightly larger proportion – 17% – said their use of the short-form mobile video app was “almost constant.”
For its part, Facebook has witnessed its popularity among young Americans fall in recent years. Overall usage by teens in 2023 was 33%. For comparison, in 2014-15, 71% of U.S. teens used the platform. Less than one in five teens said they check Facebook daily, and only 3% claim their usage on the platform is constant.
Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer of The Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults, believes that social media use is important for teens, reported ReadWrite.
According to Erickson-Schroth, social media platforms enable teens to engage in community building and exploration of their identity. She argues that the responsibility for using these platforms in a healthy way cannot fall entirely on the shoulders of teens.
“We should be talking about who’s responsible for making sure that young people are safe online, and the answer is adults. The high-level answer is adults in social media companies and adults in policy and government positions,” said Erickson-Schroth, per ReadWrite.
A group of 33 states sued Facebook and Instagram owner Meta in October. The suit alleges the company is contributing to a worsening mental health crisis among the country’s youth. They claim that Meta deliberately designs features that promote addiction to the platforms. Meta has denied the claim.
The study, published on December 11, surveyed 1,453 teens between the ages of 13 and 17 between September 26 and October 23.