Today, nearly all U.S. teens (96%) say they use the internet every day. And the share of teens who report being online “almost constantly” has roughly doubled since 2014-2015 (24% vs. 46%).
Is it harder being a teen today? Or do they have it easier than those of past generations? We asked parents and teens who say being a teenager has gotten harder or easier to explain in their own words why they think so.
YouTube is the most popular online platform among teens, with roughly nine-in-ten saying they use the site. And more than half of teens report using TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
Parents are more worried than teens about teen mental health. Both groups – especially parents – partly blame social media. But teens also see benefits.
YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram remain the most widely used online platforms among U.S. teens. And teens are less likely to be using Facebook and Twitter (recently renamed X) than they were a decade ago.
A majority of teens prefer in-person over virtual or hybrid learning. Hispanic and lower-income teens are particularly likely to fear they’ve fallen behind in school due to COVID-19 disruptions.