New Delhi, Dec 13
Half of teenagers in the US are almost constantly online on social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, finds a study, raising concerns about technology’s impact on youth.
The study by Pew Research Centre, based on a survey of US teenagers ages 13 to 17, showed that nine-in-10 teenagers reported to be mostly on YouTube.
Overall, 73 per cent of teenagers said they watch YouTube daily, making it the most widely used and visited platform. This share includes 15 per cent who describe their use as “almost constant.”
“Nearly half of teenagers say they are online almost constantly, up from 24 per cent a decade ago. This share has stayed consistent over the past few years. Overall, nearly all teenagers – 96 per cent – report using the internet daily,” the report said.
The alarming report comes even as the Australian government, last month, passed a social media ban for children under 16. The ban will apply to Instagram, X, Snapchat, and others from late 2025.
Meanwhile, Pew research showed that about 6-in-10 teenagers in the US reported using TikTok and Instagram, and 55 per cent said they use Snapchat.