Smartphone users in emerging economies – especially those who use social media – tend to be more exposed to people with different backgrounds and more connected with friends they don’t see in person.
Close to half of U.S. teens say they are on the internet “almost constantly.” Yet highly plugged-in youth in America are just as likely as their less-connected peers to socialize regularly with their friends in person.
Teens credit social media for helping to build stronger friendships and exposing them to a more diverse world, but they express concern that these sites lead to drama and social pressure.