#youth-usage

#youth-usage

These results raise major questions about the effectiveness of Australia's social media ban and show it would be a high stakes gamble for the UK to follow suit now.

"While putting a number to the loss, there is much about those lost conversations that these data cannot answer. Were they lost with friends, or family, or with strangers?"

Heavy social media use partly explains a worrying decline in the wellbeing of young people in the West, the latest edition of the annual World Happiness Report said on Wednesday. In total, 15 Western countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, saw significant declines in youth wellbeing over the past two decades, according to the report.

For today's young people, online content isn't a backdrop to daily life-it is daily life. Streaming platforms, short-form video, and social media don't just entertain; they influence how young people see themselves, their health, and what behaviors are seen as normal or aspirational. Movies, television, and streaming content still have influence, but as the digital ecosystem expands, so does its power to shape choices-for better and for worse.

All the swiping, chatting, and meeting up on Thursday nights - even when you're super tired or not in the mood to go out. Now imagine putting that same effort into seeing your friends. On TikTok, people are talking about the importance of friendship and how easy it is to deprioritize your besties. While you might love your friends, it's not uncommon to go weeks, and sometimes even months, without seeing them.

The rise of TikTok and YouTube has dramatically changed the lives of content creators by turning social media into a legitimate career path rather than just a hobby. These platforms allow ordinary people to build massive audiences without traditional media connections, often through algorithm-driven exposure.

In documents recently uncovered by The New York Times, Facebook demonstrated why losing the attention of younger teen users was one of the biggest threats facing the business. "If we lose the teen foothold in the US we lose the pipeline," reads the internal memo from last October. It seems Facebook had hoped Instagram would engage early high school users (aged 13-15) in a bid to replenish Facebook's aging user base.

From Gen Z and their TikTok dances to the millennial squares of IG, when we think of social media we think of the younger generations. However, 'older' audiences are also getting involved. From how to remove stains on walls and 'Things I wish I knew in my 20s' to fashion advice and rediscovering their personal style, older gens are increasingly growing their share of voice on social - seeking advice from (as well as giving advice to) the young ones.