What should the minimum age be to use social media?
algorithm | capable | compatible | source | engage
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Do the Math
Do the Math
A report from the Surgeon General found that 95% of teens aged 13-17 use social media of some kind. Many adults, however, worry that social media has a negative effect on teens. They are especially concerned about hate speech and cyberbullying. But do teens think social media is compatible with their lives? A Pew Research poll asked teens whether social media has a mostly negative effect on people their age, a mostly positive effect, or neither a positive nor a negative effect.
Pew Research also found that girls were more likely than boys to believe that social media harmed their mental health. Still, only 25% of teen girls said that social media was bad for their mental health. Among teen boys, this number dropped to 14%.
Option 1:
Option 1:
Based on the chart shown above, which of these statements is true:
A. Among teen boys, 75% said social media was good for their mental health.
B. The majority of teens said social media algorithms have a negative effect on people their age.
C. Most teen girls said social media was bad for their mental health.
D. More than four times as many teens said social media has a negative effect on people their age than said it has a positive effect.
Option 2:
Option 2:
At the same time, teens reported that social media is a place for connection and creativity. Among teens polled, 74% said that social media is a source of connectedness to their friends. Also, 63% of teens said social media allows them to display their creativity. What is the greatest percentage of teens polled that could have answered that social media is NOT helpful for creativity or social connectedness?
Discussion Question:
Discussion Question:
One concern about social media is “social comparison.” Humans naturally compare themselves to each other. On social media, people tend to post only the best and most exciting things in their lives. Influencers may spend hours creating an engaging photo or video. So, the user is comparing their own life to these “perfect” posts on social media. This kind of comparison can be a source of decreased self-esteem, depression, and less life satisfaction. Many adults worry that young teens are not capable of protecting themselves from social comparison. What do you think? Have you experienced social comparison on social media? How did it make you feel?
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