Use of social media and dating apps in early adolescence
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Abstract
The 21st century has been full of technological advances. One of the most relevant has been social media. Such applications can put younger users in potentially dangerous situations if not used in an age-appropriate manner. For this study, we asked 250 adolescents (50% girls) between 12 and 16 years of age to report on their experiences with these kinds of applications. Between 86-98% of the 12- to 15-year-olds, and the entirety of the 16-year-old sample, use social networks. On average, the adolescents use social media between 4-7 hours per week. WhatsApp (≈99%), TikTok (80%) and Instagram (≈76%) were the most used social media apps. Regarding flirting apps, at such young ages, already 4% reported using them. The data show that adolescents use social media in the company of friends, acquaintances or their couple. Regardless of gender and age, the most common reason for using them seems to be for entertainment. As they get older, there is an upward curve for relaxation and stress management. Romantic or sexual interest was rarely mentioned as a reason for use. However, 35% have met face-to-face with someone they have gotten to know through social media, and around 6% of minors even have had sexual relations with these people. For adolescents, connecting online can be stimulating, but they may not yet have developed the necessary skills to cope with problems that can arise when establishing and managing online relationships. Therefore, it is especially important to provide education about safe online behavior at these age groups.
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