American Teens Remain Obsessed With TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. Here's Why That's Bad.

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By: Gerelyn Terzo

Social media started gaining its popularity back in the early 2000s, but teens are as addicted to it as ever, posing a potential threat to their mental health. According to a new Pew Research report, close to half (46%) of all American teenagers admit to spending time online almost constantly, almost double the 24% rate a decade ago. Teens are mostly fixated on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. 

Pew Research polled teens between the ages of 13 and 17, most of whom own smartphones and have access to various social media channels. Below is a synopsis of the results.

• YouTube: Nine out of 10 teens use this platform regularly, a slight decline from 95% two years ago.

• TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat: Six out of 10 teens are regulars on TikTok and Instagram, while 55% spend their time on Snapchat.

• Facebook and X: Fewer than one-third (32%) of teens are regulars on early social media apps Facebook and X, compared with close to three-quarters (71%) of them between 2014-2015. 

Psychologist Lisa Damour told CBS News explained that teens are flocking to social media platforms that are driven by algorithms, calling them “wildly powerful equations” with the ability to predict what to put in front of kids that will make it impossible for them to resist. The young brain is especially vulnerable to these tech algorithms because of a tendency to feel things more intensely, good or bad. She says it’s not a fair fight, saying it’s impossible for kids to control. Unfortunately, all that time online eats into time they should be spending elsewhere.

“What we worry about is what it crowds out. If teens are online constantly, what it tells us is that they’re probably doing much less than they should be of the things that are good for healthy development.” Dr. Damour pointed to habits like engaging with people in real life, getting enough sleep and studying as activities that are likely to fall by the wayside as a result of social media behaviors. 

The question many parents have is how much time online is too much, the answer to which remains elusive. Nevertheless, lawmakers are debating potential guardrails around social media sites, with most Americans agreeing that time limits are needed for minors. Not surprisingly, adults have shown greater support for social media restrictions like time limits than teens have.