Are Teens Going Online to Form Romantic Relationships?

The Internet has certainly changed the way that youth today socialize with one another, but has it also affected the way teenagers meet romantic partners (i.e., boyfriends, girlfriends)? Moreover, do lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, who may have less access to available partners as compared to non-LGBTQ youth, use the Internet for finding romantic partners in different ways than non-LGBTQ youth?

These questions are explored using data from our Growing up with Media study, in which we surveyed a nationally representative sample of over 5,000 youth, aged 13 to 18 years in 2010-2011. To see our findings, be sure to check out our new infographic: LGBTQ Teens and Online Relationships.

For more reading, check out our Growing up with Media infographic on how lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender teens use the Internet to find social support.

Learn more about our research at Center for Innovative Public Health Research.

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Acknowledgments: Thank you to Emilie Chen for her contributions to this blog.