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About social media for pre-teens and teenagers

Popular social media apps among pre-teens and teenagers include Instagram, Messenger or Messenger Kids, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.

Online chat in multiplayer video games, like Fortnite, League of Legends, Clash of Clans and The Sims is also a popular social media option for pre-teens and teenagers.

Using social media often involves uploading and sharing content. This includes:

creating online profiles

posting comments or chatting

uploading photos and videos

reacting to or 'liking' other people's posts

sharing links

tagging photos and content

creating and sharing game modifications

remixing or changing existing content and sharing it.

Social media: benefits

Social media is a big part of social and creative life for pre-teens and teenagers.

Pre-teens and teenagers use social media to have fun, make and maintain friendships, share and learn interests, explore identities and develop relationships with family. It's an extension of their offline and face-to-face interactions. For older teenagers especially, it's often a key part of how they connect with friends.

Social media can connect pre-teens and teenagers to online global groups based on shared interests. These might be support networks - for example, for young people with disability or medical conditions, LGBTIQ+ teenagers, or children from particular cultural backgrounds. Or they might be sites for commenting on and sharing content about particular interests like games, TV series, music or hobbies.

Your child can get many other benefits from using social media:

Learning: your child can use social media to better understand, extend or share what they're learning at school, either informally or in formal school settings.

Hobbies and interests: your child can use social media to follow their interests and learn new ones.

Creativity: your child can be creative with profile pages, images, video and game modifications.

Mental health and wellbeing: connecting with extended family and friends and taking part in local and global online groups can give your child a sense of belonging.

Social media: risks

Social media can also pose risks. For your child, these risks include:

being exposed to inappropriate or upsetting content, like mean aggressive, violent or sexual comments or images

uploading inappropriate content, like embarrassing or provocative photos or videos of themselves or others

sharing personal information with strangers - for example, images, date of birth, location or address

cyberbullying

being exposed to too much targeted advertising and marketing

being exposed to data breaches, like having their data sold on to other organisations.

Managing social media risks for pre-teens and teenagers

Talking about social media use
Talking with your child is the best way to protect them from social media risks and ensure their internet safety. Talking gives you the opportunity to help your child:

work out how they want to treat other people and be treated online - for example, you can encourage your child to make only positive comments

understand the risks involved in using social media - for example, your child might be tagged in an embarrassing photo taken at a party

learn how to navigate the risks - for example, if your child posts an identifiable selfie, they can reduce risk by not including any other personal information

learn what to do if people ask for personal details, are mean or abusive online, post embarrassing photos of them, or share information that links back to them.

Finding out more about social media
Social media apps and functionality are always changing, so it's a good idea to keep up to date with the social media your child uses. You could ask your child which platforms are popular and which ones they like. You could also get your child to show you how they work.

Thinking about age recommendations
Most social media apps require people to be at least 13 years old to sign up. But these age restrictions aren't always enforced, so pre-teens can often still use the apps. It can be tricky if your child's friends are using social media apps before they're old enough and your child wants to do the same.

If you want your child to wait, here are some options you could think about:

Could you compromise? What if your child uses a family social media account until they're old enough for their own? This could give your child a way to connect with friends with your help to navigate social media.

Could your child use a child-friendly social media app, like YouTube Kids or Messenger Kids? These have stronger safety settings and age-appropriate content.

What about banning social media?
It can be hard to ban social media, even for younger children. This is because social media is increasingly a part of children's apps, games, websites and learning environments. Instead, it's better to teach your child how to navigate social media risks and behave respectfully on social media.

Internet safety for children aged 9-11 years and internet safety for teenagers is about identifying and managing risks and also protecting your data and privacy.

Setting up social media guidelines

Some written guidelines about social media can help your child get the benefits of social media while using it responsibly, respectfully and safely. This agreement could be part of a family media plan. If these guidelines include your social media use as well as your child's, you can be a positive role model.

Here are things your guidelines could include.

Using social media
This might cover basics like:

when it's OK to use social media and how long your child can spend on social media

whether it's OK to use social media during homework time, family meals and so on

where it's OK to use social media - for example, only in family areas of the house, not bedrooms.

Posting content and comments
It's important for your child to agree to:

think about why they want to post something and what reactions they might get before they post

not upload or share inappropriate messages, images and video

show respect in posts and when sharing content - for example, if it's not OK to say or do something face to face, it's not OK online

seek consent before posting images of others.

Protecting privacy
It's a good idea to go through social media privacy guidelines and settings with your child.

Your child can protect their privacy by agreeing to:

not share personal information like location and date of birth - for example, by giving this information to strangers online, doing online quizzes or tests and so on

not add personal details like phone numbers or date of birth to private profiles

regularly check privacy and location settings on apps and devices

keep passwords and log-in details private and not share these with friends

not use social media or other online accounts on public wi-fi

log out of all accounts after using public computers.

Staying safe on social media
Safety essentials for your child include:

blocking and reporting people they don't know or people who post upsetting comments or content

not clicking on pop-ups - some pop-ups that seem safe can lead to pornography sites or are scams

accepting friend requests only from people whose identity they know

taking screenshots of concerning things they see online, and talking to a trusted adult about them.

One way you can teach your child how to be safe and respectful on social media is by making a joint social media account that you can use together. This can give your child the chance to get familiar with social media before they're old enough to have an account of their own.

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Social media benefits and risks: pre-teens and teenagers

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Social media is a vital part of life for many pre-teens and teens. Social media guidelines can help your child get social media benefits and avoid risks.

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5 Reasons You Don’t Need to Worry About Kids and Social Media

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Discover the ways social media can be a force for good in the lives of kids and teens, and help them maximize the benefits. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

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The article was published on January 18th, 2018. The article relates to my topic because, it is telling the reader why students should not have social media. The publisher of the article is Marilyn Evans. The article is against my claim because, I think that students should be able to have social media, but the article does not. The purpose of the article is to show why students shouldn't have social media.

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It was disheartening when I read the stats: 7.5 million Facebook users in the U.S. are under 13! I may have even shed tears when I discovered that 5 million of those kids are under the age of 10!

Parents, it's time we talked about why social media is not smart for middle school kids (and younger).

Learning the hard way that kids are not mini adults

Before we do, I have my own parenting blunder to confess. When my oldest son received his Learner's Permit, I was so excited for him to drive! As he came out of the written test smiling, I tossed him the key and said, "Take me home, James!"

It took less than a minute for me to realize I had completely underestimated his abilities. He didn't have a clue how much gas to apply, when to brake, or even how to stay on the road. It's a wonder we made it home that day alive!

The fault was clearly mine. It sounds crazy when I say it now, but in the moment I never once considered how dangerous his lack of experience would be in this real life situation. (You know, the kind where cars are coming at you from both directions!). In hindsight, an empty parking lot would have been a better place to start.

Give your middle school kids enough time to grow up

If you think about it, it's really the same with social media. We wouldn't give an 11-year-old the keys to the car and say take a spin, but unfortunately many parents are allowing kids to navigate the internet before they are mature enough to do so safely.

Besides puberty, there are a lot of other changes middle school kids have to deal with: a new school, friends, cliques, crushes and more. It can feel awkward and uncomfortable getting used to their maturing bodies and growing sense independence.

Middle school life can take an emotional toll on both parent and child. So, before you toss your kids the keys to Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, please press pause and think about these 5 considerations.

5 reasons why social media is not smart for middle school kids

1. Should kids start their social media experience lying about their age?

The minimum age to open an account on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Kik, and Snapchat is 13. Parents may think it's no big deal to bend the rules and have their kids sign in with a fake birthday -but big data makes it a big deal!

In 2000, The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) was launched. This Federal law protects children under the age of 13 from having personal information gathered about them online. However, if an 11-year-old registers with a false birth date there's nothing to prevent their personal information from being shared with third party advertisers.

This is more than giving out a name and address. It's allowing marketers (people you've never met) to spend hours a week secretly observing your child. They'll record how they play, what they say, where they go and who they hang out with. Sounds kinda creepy, doesn't it?

Ultimately, allowing kids access to social media sites is also a parenting issue. Decide now if you're comfortable with them lying to Facebook, as it may influence how comfortable they are lying to you down the road.

2. Kids' brains are highly vulnerable to apps designed to be addictive

From a neurological perspective, the middle school years are incredible. The brain is going through an intense process of pruning, myelination and remodeling. That means that an adolescent brain is deciding now what it wants to specialize in for years to come.

This is precisely why Sean Parker, ex-Facebook president, is sounding the alarm. He's publicly stated that one of the main objectives for creating Facebook was this: "How do we consume as much of your time and conscious attention as possible?"

All successful social media apps work on the principle of giving users a hit of dopamine in exchange for new and fresh content. How these hits might affect brain specialization hasn't yet been documented.

What we do know is that social media is an entertainment platform. In other words, using it early won't make kids smarter or more creative. A better use of their discretionary time would be to explore a favorite subject, hobby or sport.

3. On social media kids see a distorted view of reality

As kids enter middle school they start to ask new questions. One of the big ones is, "Who am I?" For guys, hair gel and new deodorant scents suddenly become significant. Whereas girls tend to gravitate towards make-up and fashion trends. It's about forming identity.

Ironically, it's as important to fit in, as it is to stand out! (Think about that group of middle school kids you spotted at the mall sporting the exact same jacket, the exact same shoes, and the exact same backpack, at the exact same time.)

On social media, kids are not only influenced by the peers in their circle of friends; there is pressure to keep up with trendsetters from all over the globe. For an impressionable mind and a developing self-esteem, it can feel like they will never match up.

And it's not just looks that matter to kids. Showing off outrageous behavioral trends gets serious clicks too. Every week a new challenge is issued on one platform or another. Some challenges are annoying; others like the Tide Pod Challenge, highlighted in this CBS news report are downright dangerous.

4. Social media exaggerates a child's tendency to focus solely on themselves

Middle school is a time when kids feel as if the whole world is looking at them (and judging them). Social media can exaggerate the worst of it. That can lead to depression, severe bullying, and to the worst case scenario-suicide.

Jean M. Twenge has been researching the behavioral patterns of young people for over 25 years. Her recent conclusions about the impact of social media on middle school kids are sobering:

Eighth graders who spend 10 or more hours a week on social media are 56 percent more likely to say they are unhappy than those who spend less time.

Eighth graders who are heavy users of social media increase their risk of depression by 27 percent.

Teens who spend three or more hours a day on electronic devices are 35 percent more likely to have a risk factor for suicide, like making a plan for how to do it.

especially hard hit, have experienced a 50 percent rise in depressive symptoms.

We've all heard stories of online bullying. I questioned a high school sophomore this week about her early social media experience. She explained that bullying related to social media use doesn't always happen online:
"It's the whispers behind people's backs, 'can you believe so and so's post', where the most damage occurs. Even if you're not involved, it's really hard not to get caught up in the drama."
5. Social media pushes kids into risky behavior to seek affirmation

Victoria L. Dunckley, M.D. is adamant the maturity required to use social media appropriately cannot be taught to middle school kids. It's like trying to dress them in clothes that are too big. You just have to wait and let them grow up.

One of our readers says she is overwhelmed by social media culture influencing young kids:
"My daughter is 13 and has friends that are sexting and sending nudes to strangers on Snapchat. I'm so glad she comes to me with her questions. I've been very proactive about addressing these issues from an early age. Still, she feels alone because a lot of her friends are so clueless about these
This mom is absolutely right to be alarmed. Social media is a predator's playground.

Predators are expert at giving kids the attention they are looking for -You're so beautiful, you're so funny, you're so adventurous. When kids find someone who agrees with everything they say, it can be intoxicating. Police will tell you how easy it is to gain the trust of a middle school kid. Even more shocking is how quickly they can be persuaded to participate in risky behavior.

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Prepare middle school kids now to get the best out social media

I will tell you one more secret about myself as a parent -I make lots of mistakes. We all do. It's part of the job description. Plus now we have the impossible task of keeping ahead of the latest tech trends. Just like our middle school kids, we're bound to have some growing pains.

What to do if your kids are on social media now?

If your middle school kid is already on social media stay calm. In fact, it may cause more harm to cut them off completely at this point. Instead, make sure the ground rules for use are explicit. We recommend you go so far as to write up a contract. For ideas, check out this list at Scary Mommy.

Better than tossing them the keys

Reflecting on the experience with my novice driver, it's important to help kids get used to social media in a controlled environment for the first little while. Here are some tips:

Start with a family account

Begin using social media on large devices (not phones)

Set time limits and stick to them

Follow your kids' accounts

Plan face-to-face time with friends

Eventually the day will come when it's time for them drive on their own. When that happens, you can still have them update you about their online interactions. Kids will thrive when they know their parents always have their back.

Is My Child Ready for a Smartphone?

Smartphones and social media tend to go hand in hand these days. Although we recommend kids begin their social media experience on tablet or computer, knowing when to allow your child full-time internet access is important!

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5 Reasons Why Social Media is Not Smart for Middle School Kids | Defend Young Minds™️

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Is you middle school kid begging to have their own social media account? There's a lot of pressure for kids and parents to sign on early. Before you do, make sure you know all the facts. We've got 5 compelling reasons why you will want to hold off a little longer...

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Family Zone has joined forces with Qustodio to help give parents better visibility of their children's online activities and balance screen time.

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Are you one of those adults who believes the internet is no place for a kid to hang out? Maybe it's time to get over it. Sure, there are some arguments against internet usage in kids (it can prevent kids from engaging with others off-screen and can expose them to inappropriate content, among other things). But it also turns out there are some good reasons to let your kids indulge in a little social media now - especially during social distancing.

Teens spend about 45 hours per week on their phones, according to research conducted by Common Sense Media. Yet when SheKnows surveyed 400 parents for our Study on Kids & Technology (Dec 2019), it turned out the parents of those kids think their kids are only spending 22 hours per week on their phones. Isn't it time we admitted defeat and tried to make the internet a better place for kids - not an off-limits place? After all, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Still, the precise " best age" for when a kid should have their first social media account still remains murky - and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act makes it illegal for commercial websites and apps to offer accounts to children under 13 without parental consent. So when should you introduce your kid to the web, and how? The key, the experts say, is to go slowly and appropriately. Here's how.

1. Group inclusion

Social media makes sense in the world of teen socialization (and teen angst). Dr. Barbara Winter, a Florida-based psychologist with over 20 years of experience, explains, "Social media allows teenagers to be part of a group, which is a cornerstone to self-esteem." And according to a study published in the Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, teen social media use "provides new contexts for reflecting upon and trying out new identities, for learning and attempting new social skills and for establishing affiliations."

2. Online learning

This might make you feel a little less guilty as the parent of a kidfluencer: Technology counts as one of our cultural languages. "Social media is a great tool for learning, especially for kids that are almost glued to their computers," Katya Seberson, speed-reading and memory teacher at ExecutiveMind, says. "It bridges the gap between the fictional world of video games... and the real world. Social media is in between the two. It talks about real world events, but it's happening in a digital form."

3. Access to news

Good luck getting your teen to subscribe to The Wall Street Journal. But that doesn't mean they have to be out of the loop of world news. "Teens often favor social media for news and happenings in the world rather than looking at traditional news sources," Winter explains. According to research by Common Sense Media, 47 percent of kids get their news from Facebook, while 41 percent of tweens get their news from YouTube. Of course, talk to your teen about the fact that social media sites are not news sites and explain that they should always follow suggested "news" links on social sites to their original (journalistic, fact-checked) source.

4. Freedom of expression

As parents, we also use social media for this reason: to share our thoughts and feelings in our own corner of the internet. Likewise, says Winter, social media allows teens to express their individuality through stories, pictures and quotes, which can be beneficial to emotional, sexual and spiritual health.

If your child is ready to dip their toes into the waters of online creative expression, Seberson suggests going old-school first. "Tumblr is an old platform that allows artistic minds to express themselves," she says. "I introduce kids to bookfessions.tumblr.com, and they get hooked. They start following artists they love and share their own poetry, drawings - even essays."

5. Exposure to the real world

Yes, of course we all want to keep our little baby chicks in the nest for as long as we can, but keeping kids sheltered for too long will inevitably set them up to fail. Seberson encourages parents to use online education hand in hand with real-world exposure to produce a lasting impact. "I hate to see kids grow up in a safe bubble that bursts when they go to college," she says.
A version of this article was originally published in June 2014. Don't worry, your kids will learn something from the internet. Like all these lessons from celebrity parent-shaming on social media - a true testament to how not to behave online.

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Parents: Please Stop Freaking Out About Your Kids' Social Media Use

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Are you one of those adults who believes the internet is no place for a kid to hang out? Maybe it's time to get over it. Sure, there are some arguments against internet usage in kids (it can prevent kids from engaging with others off-screen and can expose them to inappropriate content, among other things).

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Teenagers are constantly posting about what seems like near-perfect lives on social media sites, but looks can be deceiving.

In real life, their lives might not be so perfect.

Among social media's benefits is that it has allowed teenagers to connect all over the world. Still, the hours spent on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites also have the potential to be harmful, child psychologists and therapists say.

Studies are increasingly showing links between an overuse of social media and a variety of health issues, such as anxiety and body image issues.

Seventy-five percent of teenagers in America today have profiles on social media sites, according to Common Sense Media. Some feel like they can't live without it and may feel anxious if they can't update their status or find out what their friends are doing. They may start to judge their self worth by how many Snapchat followers they have.

"One of the biggest challenges for teenagers is the fear of missing out or the need to feel accepted," said Shreya Hessler, a Bel Air, Md., psychologist who specializes in anxiety and other mental health issues. "Social media can put added pressure on teenagers if used in an unhealthy way."

But teachers, therapists and psychologists don't think teenagers need to unplug completely.

Baltimore life coach Leslie Parker said there are some positive aspects to social media, including staying connected to people. It all depends on how students use it, she said. Many teenagers are using social media for positive reasons.

Lauryn Adams, a senior at Mercy High School in Baltimore, uses social media to inteact with basketball scouts. This was something not available 12 years ago when social media was not around.

"I have my separate Twitter for my basketball account which I use for scouting, to notify coaches of what I'm doing, GPA wise and school functions I'm attending," she said.

While parents and other adults may think teens spend too much time on these sites, it can be beneficial, said Baltimore therapist Kate Gerwin.

Social media connects communities at crucial times. Activists used social media to organize during the #metoo movement against sexual harassment and the #blacklivesmatter movement against police brutality. Social media enables people to stay informed about world and local news.

"Access to social networks is an area where communal opportunities have the ability to be shared and people can share their life stories," Hessler said.

Social media is more of a risk to adolescents than adults realize, however, a 2012 report by the American Academy of Pediatrics found. Some teenagers may face cyberbullying or develop Facebook depression. Some studies have also found some links between anxiety and sleep-deprivation.

It also has the potential to create body image issues. A survey of 1,500 young people by the Royal Society for Public Health in the United Kingdom found that young girls compared themselves to unrealistic photos of "perfect girls" that may actually be photo-shopped.

Therapist Octavia Sykes works with girls who have body images issues. She said social media can amplify these insecurities. Teenagers are putting their best image forward and make it seem overwhelming for some teenagers to compete.

"The idea that you can't be beautiful without a filter is saddening," Sykes said. "Some of us will never be five foot, seven inches. Some of us will never wear a certain size."

Sometimes social media may isolate teenagers from the real world. Hessler said appointments with her are sometimes the only time some of her teenage clients have a face-to-face conversation without the interruption of social media or other technology. Some teenagers panic when their phone dies or is taken away by their parents and they cannot check Twitter or Snapchat, she said.
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"This makes fears such as FOMO (the fear of missing out) a very real and tangible problem for teens due to the fact that contact on social media is one of the main forms of communication nowadays," Hessler said.

Fear of missing out

Kristina Dyson, a junior at Mercy, said she uses Snapchat and Twitter to communicate with friends and know what they are doing from moment to moment.

"If I don't have social media, I don't know what's going on, and I need to know what's going on," she said.

Nijah Fleet, a Mercy sophomore, also uses Snapchat and Twitter to keep up with her friends and follow her favorite celebrities. Like her classmate Kristina, she also feels like she is missing something when she is not on social media.

This feeling can become problematic if it creates anxiety or starts to interfere with school work and everyday life, therapists said.

Parker, the life coach, said social media can keep teenagers away from family time and real life conversations.

"Kids should connect with people, not so much the machines, not so much Twitter," she said. ...They have made social media their family; and I think down the road, it will just make them become more distant, in terms of talking to someone."

Joy Medley, a chemistry teacher at North County High School in Glen Burnie, Md., said she believes social media can be a distraction from class. Constant notifications can pull the student's attention to the device rather than the lessons.

More simply, being active on social media is also just entertaining. Some studies have found that when a person receives a notification on social media, dopamine levels in the brain increase, Gerwin said. Dopamine is the chemical in the brain associated with affirmation and pleasure, like you might feel when you win a prize.

The American Academy of Pediatrics report found that some aspects of social media can be good for adolescents. They can access health information, develop social connections and use it when doing their school work. For instance, students can connect with one another to discuss homework assignments.

"Social media allows teenagers to join communities where people are able to be creative...and verify others creativity," Sykes said.

Teenagers can learn how to improve their relationship with social media when it does become overwhelming or cause negative feelings. Parents and guardians can help their children create a responsible and healthier relationship with social media by having an open dialogue with their kids about their social media use.

Teenagers can also engage in self-regulation and learn to be more aware of their social media use, Sykes said. If they find using social media is making them anxious or they get on sites even when they are tired, it may be time to pull back - and realize they aren't going to miss out on anything.

Hessler suggested setting scheduled times for social media use and try not to deviate from the schedule. When sleeping or studying, students should remove their device from the room to prevent sleep loss or distraction from studying.

"Do not fight the power, be mindful of the power," Hessler said.
Davis and Burnett are fellows in the Urban Health Media Project, co-founded by USA TODAY healthcare policy reporter Jayne O'Donnell

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Parents may fret, but teens and even experts say social media use has its benefits

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Teenagers are constantly posting about what seems like near-perfect lives on social media sites, but looks can be deceiving. In real life, their lives might not be so perfect. Among social media's benefits is that it has allowed teenagers to connect all over the world.

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Schools are shut down, sports have come to a halt, and teenagers won't be attending their senior proms.

In times of loneliness and isolation, how are kids coping and maintaining relationships?

The same way they have been since before the new world of social distancing - FaceTime, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and video games.

Social media usage among teens is something that has concerned parents and teachers for years, with each subsequent generation seemingly more addicted to electronics than the one before. But it might end up being the thing that saves them.

At a time when mental health professionals are increasingly concerned over the impact of unexpected and unprecedented isolation, children could be the ones who make it through with the least trauma. Because unlike older Americans, adolescents are used to communicating largely through virtual media. It's their normal.
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Autumn Viney, a senior at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Florida, is sad that her classmates won't be able to experience the things that other kids have. Walking at graduation has always been one of her biggest dreams, and now she probably won't be able to experience it. She's a self-described workaholic, both at school and on the job.

With social distancing and stay-at-home measures, social media has been "a blessing" for her.

"I have been more in touch than I think I ever have with people," Viney said. "We are all going through the same struggle right now, and it seems like everyone is lonely. It's nice and easy to reach out because everyone is home and on the internet looking for social interactions or some kind of connection during this time."

Using Snapchat and video calls on FaceTime makes it feels like she's with her friends even when she's not, she said.

"This is how (teenagers) are used to communicating, so a lot of what's going on and how we're telling them to communicate is what they've always been doing, so they're kind of ahead of us," said Jeff Temple, professor and psychologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Hannah DeArmond, a senior at Bradenton's Bayshore High School, is using FaceTime and Snapchat every day now, more than she used to.

"Everyone is pretty much using (social media) more because we're bored at home with nothing else to do, and it's the only form of us talking to people," she said. "It's how I talk to my friends and make sure they're OK."

Although schools are closed in Florida until at least May 1, the Manatee County School District's 11 mental health counselors and 22 school psychologists are still working with students.

The mental health practitioners, including the guidance counselors and social workers, are continuing their services to students using Schoology, the district's online learning system.
Coronavirus and schools: Moms, teachers share ideas, advice on home-schooling
"We're really trying to get these students everything they need," said Nicole Cox, ESE director of student services. "It's still easy for students to access these resources and we do still have a process in place if we need to pick up any new students - if they are struggling in this time with any anxiety or mental health issues."

Staying Apart, Together: Sign up for our newsletter about how to cope with the pandemic

Crisis Text Line, a service that provides free, 24/7 support via text message in the U.S. United Kingdom and Canada, reported that among its users under 17 years old, there has been an increase in conversations regarding "suicide" and "school."

"I am feeling anxious due to the coronavirus pandemic," one teenager wrote. "I cannot sleep and I am having visions of my loved ones dying."

"With this quarantine and virus stuff going on, my mental health has gotten a lot worse," another teenager wrote. "I keep forgetting to take my meds and I started cutting again."

Over the last 30 days in Florida, the top used words in messages to the Crisis Text Line from users 17 and under were: virus, coronavirus, canceled, quarantine, suffocating, FaceTime and cough.

Despite staying connected through social media, kids' mental health is still affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Follow Anna Bryson on Twitter @annamariabryson Do this exercise: Coronavirus anxiety has upended our lives, but take a moment to breathe
Loneliness affects kids in different ways than adults because their identity formation is derived from spending time with their peers. By staying home instead of going to school, they're deprived of those interactions that are crucial at the developmental stage in their lives.

"They are still having relationships," Temple said. "It's the relationship that we have tended to disparage over the last several years, and now I think (adults) are starting to realize that they are real relationships."

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In age of coronavirus, could social media be kids' saving grace?

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Schools are shut down, sports have come to a halt, and teenagers won't be attending their senior proms. In times of loneliness and isolation, how are kids coping and maintaining relationships? The same way they have been since before the new world of social distancing - FaceTime, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and video games.