65 Teens Share How They Feel About Being Online

Ask any parent of a teen or tween what they’ve heard lately about adolescents and social media and they’ll likely describe a horror story — one in which hapless, helpless, clueless young victims disappear down algorithmic rabbit holes and are never the same again.

It’s an eerie plotline with a limited evidence base. I know this because I’ve been covering teens and screens since the dawn of the iPhone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that teen depression, anxiety, and suicidality have steadily risen for the past decade, especially among girls. Ninety-five percent of teens have access to a smartphone, and nearly half self-report using it “almost constantly.” Experts are split on whether B is causing A; the data are inconclusive, but even the possibility of a link is discomfiting for most parents. In 2022, the U.S. surgeon general came out with an advisory on social media and youth mental health that called for caution pending more research.

As we head toward an almost guaranteed winter surge, free COVID tests will be available by mail once again. Rupert Murdoch is retiring and has named his son Lachlan as his successor — cue the Succession memes. Billie Jean King is set to become the first individual female athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Nice to know we’re not alone in being horrified by the return of ballet flats, but sad to know it’s because we’re old. Add to the list of things we did not know we needed to worry about: airplanes being struck by lasers. And there’s a trailer for All of Us Strangers, so we can at least get a glimpse of Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott falling in love.

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