How We Communicate

In a survey of 13 - 17 year olds, among other things 40% agree with the statement, "I sometimes wish I could go back to a time when there was no such thing as social media." Which is kind of amazing, because Facebook was founded in 2004 and MySpace the year before that. So basically, half of the interviewed kids were born into a world with social media and, at least based upon the way the brain develops and what we know about memory, not one of them can remember life pre-social media.

Today's teens prefer texting over in-person communication, use social media multiple times a day, and admit that digital distractions interfere with homework, personal relationships and sleep, according to a new survey of 13- to 17-year-olds. Why it matters: Concerns over the negative impact of social media use have increased recently with reports of teen depression, suicide and cyberbullying on the rise. READ MORE