We all have assumptions about teens and how they use the many different types of media:
Teens tweet about anything and everything.
Teens are constantly on Facebook updating their “status” and liking other people’s “statues.”
The “digital divide” extends to cell phone ownership.
But are these really true? Or, are these the twenty-first century version of old wives’ tales—call ’em old Web tales?
1. Teens are the largest number of users on Twitter.
Actually, Twitter is more of an “adult thing.” Even then, the data are less overwhelming than we might assume: Only 12% of teens 12–17 use Twitter or other status updating sites.[1]Overall 15% of adults are using Twitter, and 31% of those adults are age18-24.[2]
2.Only teens in higher income households can afford the data plans to go online with their cell phones.
Cell phone ownership crosses all income lines for teens. In fact, compared to 24% of youth in households of incomes $75,000+, 30% of teen cell phone owners in the lowest household income category (under $30,000) are most likely to use their cell phones to go online. This makes them the largest group of teen cell phone owners to do so.
3. Teens do everything on their phone!
Well, not actually. About 25% of teens are ‘cell-mostly’ internet users (compared to 15% of adults), but other things like email and even shopping and surfing the Web are not top on teens’ list of things to do on their cell phone. [3] Instead, they use their phones to make calls and text
4. What teen isn’t on Facebook?
This is pretty close to being right: 93% of teens have a Facebook account.[4]
5. Playing video games is a ‘boy thing’
It’s true that 99% of teenage boys play games, but so do 94% of teenage girls. It’s often a social experience too: 76% of the time, teens say they play games with other people.[5]
6. The only games that are popular are the “shoot ’em up,” blood-curdling, violent type.
While there are certainly a lot of really violent games available today, a recent study reported that the three most popular types of videogames teens play aren’t violent: They are about racing, puzzles, and sports.[6]
7.”Sexting” (sending sexy photos) is ubiquitous among teens.
Contrary to what the news tells us, few kids are “sexting”. A national survey found that 91% of youth ages 13 to 18 years never sent a “sext” within a one year period.[7] Additionally, two national studies found fewer than one in twenty youth (2.5% of 10-17 year olds and 4% of 12-17 year olds, respectively) have sent pictures of themselves to others.[8,9] Admittedly, this is still about 12 teens in a school of 300, which can certainly seem like ‘everyone’ given the way rumors can fly.
8.Social networking sites are “dangerous”
While it’s true that we need to make sure youth have safety skills to navigate social networking sites safely, youth are more likely to receive unwanted sexual solicitation messages from people on instant messaging and through chat rooms than on social network sites.[10]
9. “Dear Diary…” Think that it’s a ‘teen thing’ to blog?
It Actually is not. Youth have become less interested in blogging over time: 14% of young people ages 12–17 had a blog in 2009 compared to 25% in 2006. The increased popularity of social networking sites with quick status updates may be the reason.[11]
10. Teens are always texting.
Absolutely. Three in four teens use text messaging – and they are texting a lot: half of teens are sending 60 texts a day. [12] It may not be surprising to learn that 71% of teens prefer texting over calling.[13] Part of the reason for this preference is so that teens can stay below the parental radar (not that that’s a new teen behavior—they just have technology to help them now): “Texting plays a central role in the lives of teens because it provides them with a private ‘back channel’ to carry out their social lives as they see fit,” says Scott Campbell, University of Michigan assistant professor of Communication Studies, and co-author of the study “Teens and Mobile Phones” from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.[11] “It allows them to interact and coordinate with their peers under the radar of their parents, teachers, and other authority figures.”[14]
Acknowledgements:
Thank you to Amina Sharma and Jennifer Renzas for their contributions to this blog.
References:
[1] Lenhart,A. “How Do (They) Even Do That?” A Pew Internet Guide to Teens, Young Adults, Mobile Phones and Social Media,” pewinternet.org
[2] Smith, A. and Brenner, J.“Twitter Use” Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project Spring 2012 Tracking Survey, March 15-April 3,2012.pewinternet.org
[3] Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Duggan, M., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U. “Teens and Technology 2013” Pew Internet teens and Privacy Management Survey, July 26-September 30, 2012.
[4] Lenhart A.,Madden M., Smith A., Purcell K.,Zickuhr K.,Rainie L. “Teens, kindness and cruelty on social network sites” 2011. pewinternet.org
[5] Lenhart A.“New Pew Internet/ MacArthur report on Teens, Video Games, and Civics”2008. pewinternet.org
[6] Sieberg, D. “Are Video Games Actually Good for Kids?” 2011. CBS Evening News
[7] Ybarra M. “‘Sexting’ and its relation to psychosocial and sexual behavior indicators” The Center for Innovative Public Health Research (previously Internet Solutions for Kids). Presentation at Research Consortium on Youth and Sexting 2011. innovativepublichealth.org
[8] Mitchell KJ, Finkelhor D, Jones LM, Wolak J. “Prevalence and characteristics of youth sexting: a national study.” Pediatrics. 2012 Jan;129(1):13-20. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1730. Epub 2011 Dec 5.
[9] Lenhart A. “Teens and Sexting” 2009. pewinternet.org
[10] Ybarra M. and Mitchell, K.J. , “How Risky are Social Networking Sites? A Comparison of Places Online Where Youth Sexual Solicitation and Harassment Occurs,” The Center for Innovative Public Health Research. Innovativepublichealth.com
[11] Lenhart A., Purcell K., Smith A., Zickuh K.“Social Media and Young Adults”2010. pewinternet.org
[12] Lenhart, A.“Teens, Smartphones &Texting” 2012. pewinternet.org
[13]“Teen Texting [Inforgraphic]” 2011. wealthforteens.com
[14] Suzanne Choney, “Just as You Thought: More Teens Are Texting,” 2010. MSNBC.com