While so-called peer groups used to be the place where young people could try things out and compare themselves at school and in their free time, the whole world is now open to them via social media. Saferinternet.at’s Youth Internet Monitor 2022 surveyed which platforms are currently popular: over 95 percent of young people between the ages of 11 and 17 use Whatsapp and YouTube. Instagram, Snapchat and Tiktok are also used by two out of three young people. The chat platform Discord and the online gaming platform Roblox, which are also used as social networks, are particularly popular with younger people under the age of 14.
gender differences
There are big differences between the sexes: Tiktok and Pinterest are much more popular with girls. Unsurprisingly, gaming platforms like Twitch and Discord tend to be used more by boys. The only exception is Roblox, which is more popular with girls.
Various studies have shown that social media harbor a high potential for addiction. A study by Austrian researchers showed that even a short-term abstinence of several days can lead to withdrawal symptoms. 90 of 152 participants relapsed within seven days.
In addition to therapists and psychiatrists, addiction and family counseling centers also offer help with problematic usage behavior. LADA