Abstract

Most studies about the dangers social media poses to teenagers have been written from the perspective of parents, educators, and policymakers. In this study, we ask teens themselves for their perspectives on the benefits and risks of social media usage and examine the effect of important variables such as gender and the fear of missing out. Using a sample of 646 teenagers aged 13 to 18 in the United States, this study investigates—from their own perspective—which social media sites they use and how often, how using social media makes them feel about themselves, the concerns they may have, and whether fear of missing out is associated with their social media use. We find that in many instances, social media usage makes teens feel better about themselves, but the relationships are complicated and vary depending on gender. Girls tend to be more worried and concerned about the risks of social media usage than boys but are not more likely than boys to say that this usage influences how they feel about themselves. Additionally, girls’ social media usage tends to be driven more by fear of missing out. Extant research has largely ignored whether teens themselves appreciate the risks of social media and how they balance them against the potential benefits they derive. By incorporating the voices of teens, this research has the potential to guide future policies and interventions aimed at fostering healthier and more balanced social media habits among youth.