Teens and Online Social Media
The use of social media gains foothold in teen life as they embrace the conversational nature of online media.
This is really a very interesting study that’s been conducted and one that parents of teens should read. I’m a bit puzzled by the findings though, I would have estimated it to be entirely different based on income levels. The single parent aspect not so much.
Teens living in households earning less than $50,000 per year are considerably more likely to blog than those living in higher-income households; fully 35% of online teens whose parents fall in the lower income brackets have created an online journal or blog, while just 24% of those in the higher income brackets have done so.
An even more pronounced contrast is evident when looking at teens who live with single parents vs. those who live with married parents. Online teens living in single-parent homes are far more likely to have shared their writing through a blog; 42% of these teens keep a blog compared with 25% of teens living with married parents.
Here’s your chance to play armchair psychologist. What do you think are the reasons behind these findings?
Complete study - pdf format
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POSTED IN: MomGadget
6 opinions for Teens and Online Social Media
homemom3
Feb 21, 2008 at 7:58 pm
when you think about it, between the single and married kids they may have more contact with their other friends or parents this way. A simple click and you can chat up a storm (not run up a phone bill) or see your mom or dad/brother/sister,etc.
elvagreeen
Feb 22, 2008 at 2:09 am
It’s interesting. I will share it with my friends on singleparentloving.com :)
Annabelle
Feb 22, 2008 at 7:06 am
I think it simply has to do with an opportunity to be involved in other things. A higher income household with afford the child the chance to participate in more extracurricular activities (sport, music lessons etc). A computer is an inexpensive time filler. Additionally a single parent is not going to have the same time to devote to their teen as a married couple can jointly give. Again the computer serves as a surrogate.
Cash-Smart Kids
Feb 25, 2008 at 3:31 am
Very interesting results - it shows that computers are no longer a luxury!
I think Annabelle is right - it’s about whether or not their parents pull them away from the computer.
I have three teen and tween girls, and if I don’t step in and get them to do chores, homework, or the tasks they need to do on their home-based businesses, they will happily spend every waking minute having six instant message conversations at once while they simultaneously message people on MySpace and Bebo, download music, and check their email via a web interface. Usually one of them is also on the phone to one of the other kids in the communication storm.
If parents aren’t there to interrupt, teens will be online - that’s my guess.
Rebel8
Feb 27, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Annabelle is right. Lower income kids have fewer options when it comes to after school activitie. So blogging is a way for them to be involved without the cost.
feefifoto
Feb 28, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I’d agree that the higher income families have more activities and opportunities.
I just set my son up with his own blog. he’d been nagging me to let him start his own web site but he gagged when I estimated how much it would cost to get the site he envisioned up and running. I suggested he think about blogging for a while to see if he could build up a readership and then try the web site later when he knew more about what he wanted and how to get it. The blog’s email address is mine, so I’ll have full supervision. I think blogging will give him the writing and editing practice he needs and he won’t even notice he’s learning.
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