Age 13 Rule Isn’t Working — Most Pre-Teens Already Deep in Social Media

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

Ages 11 and 12 represent a pivotal transition from childhood to adolescence — a time traditionally marked by first crushes, growing independence, and deepening friendships. But according to new research, this age group is also marked by something more troubling: widespread social media addiction. The study of over 10,000 American youth reveals that most pre-teens are active on platforms they’re technically too young to use.

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments against Congress’ TikTok ban, the research pulls back the curtain on what many parents have long suspected: nearly 64% of pre-teens have at least one social media account, flouting minimum age requirements and raising concerns about online safety and mental health impacts.

Drawing from a diverse sample of adolescents aged 11 to 15, researchers found that TikTok reigns supreme among young users, with 67% of social media-using teens maintaining an account on the short-form video platform. YouTube and Instagram followed closely behind at around 65% and 66% respectively.

Among the study’s more concerning findings was that 6.3% of young social media users admitted to maintaining “secret” accounts hidden from parental oversight. These covert profiles, sometimes dubbed “Finstas” (fake Instagram accounts), represent a digital double life that could put vulnerable youth at risk while hampering parents’ ability to protect their children online.

Signs of problematic use and potential addiction emerged as significant concerns. Twenty-five percent of children with social media accounts reported often thinking about social media apps, and another 25% said they use the apps to forget about their problems. Moreover, 17% of users tried to reduce their social media use but couldn’t, while 11% reported that excessive use had negatively impacted their schoolwork.

The study was published in Academic Pediatrics.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/most-pre-teens-already-deep-in-social-media/