---
title: "Social Media & Young Adults: Challenges & Opportunities for STD Prevention"
description: "This panel discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by technology for STD prevention. Amanda presents Pew Internet's latest data on the use of technology by teens and young adults for communicating, socializing and information gathering."
date: "2010-03-09"
authors:
  - name: "Amanda Lenhart"
    job_title: "Former Director of Teens and Technology Research at the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/amanda-lenhart/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2010/03/09/social-media-young-adults-challenges-opportunities-for-std-prevention/"
categories:
  - "Health Policy"
  - "Medicine & Health"
  - "Mobile"
  - "Social Media"
  - "Teens & Tech"
  - "Teens & Youth"
tags:
  - "Generations"
  - "Social Networking"
  - "Teens"
---

# Social Media & Young Adults: Challenges & Opportunities for STD Prevention

Amanda participated in a panel at the CDC's [annual STD Prevention conference](http://www.cdc.gov/stdconference/2010/program.htm), where she discussed the Pew Internet Project's latest data on how teens and young adults are using social media and other communicative technologies. Along with Amanda, Kicesie Drew, a health educator with [a hugely popular YouTube channel](http://www.youtube.com/user/kicesie), Sally Swanson from the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Campaign of North Carolina, a group that is harnessing [cell phones to answer questions about sexual health](http://www.appcnc.org/brdsnbz-text-message-warm-line) and Cornelis Rietmeijer of the Denver public health department all discussed current trends and innovative techniques for reaching young and at-risk populations with health messages through technology.

http://www.slideshare.net/PewInternet/social-media-young-adults-challenges-opportunities-for-std-prevention-3387499

## Resources for further reading:

-  ** [Millennials: Confident. Connected. Open to Change](http://pewresearch.org/millennials/) ** **- **[http://pewresearch.org/millennials/](http://pewresearch.org/millennials/)
-  [ **Social Media and Young Adults** ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx) **- **[https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2010/Social-Media-and-Young-Adults.aspx)
-  ** [Teens & Sexting](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Sexting.aspx) ** **- **[https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Sexting.aspx](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Sexting.aspx)
-  ** [Teens and Mobile Phones, 2004-2009](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/14--Teens-and-Mobile-Phones-Data-Memo.aspx) ** - ** ** [https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/14--Teens-and-Mobile-Phones-Data-Memo.aspx](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/14--Teens-and-Mobile-Phones-Data-Memo.aspx)
-  ** [Wireless Internet Use](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx) - ** [https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx)