The teen loneliness machine
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
The tech ecosystem that surrounds today's teens is fueling loneliness.
Why it matters: It's a dangerous environment for a generation that's already sad and stressed. And it's more difficult than ever for their parents, teachers and coaches to understand and help them.
The big picture: Data shows that teens are spending less time hanging out with friends in person, and more time on their devices.
- America's 15- to 24-year-olds spend 35% less time socializing face-to-face than they did 20 years ago, The Atlantic reports.
- Instead, American kids and teenagers spend nearly six hours a day looking at screens, according to the Digital Parenthood Initiative.
Parents' concern about how kids use tech isn't new. We saw it with chatrooms in the '90s, then with the advent of social media in the aughts. But the way teens typically use tech today — via smartphones and tablets — is different.
- "There's a ton of tech out there. But the one thing that's different about this tech is that it's used in private," says Jeffrey Hall, a professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas. That's leading to new stress — often away from parents' eyes.
Case in point: Sharing locations isn't reserved for parents. High schoolers are tracking each other, seeing in real time when their friends are hanging out without them.
- It's not uncommon to have the locations of dozens of peers, especially on Snapchat's Snap Maps, says Meghan Whitten, a junior at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon, who wrote about the phenomenon for her school's newspaper.
"I do get FOMO [fear of missing out] when I see my friends hanging out," Whitten says.
- Even if it's not intentional, "it definitely contributes to anxiety around social situations — especially during high school, which is all around a stressful time."
On top of that, the fact that much of teens' socialization happens online is contributing to loneliness.
- Spending time with people releases certain chemicals in the brain and boosts our mood. You can't get the same benefits from texting or even audio or video calls, Hall says.
- Interacting with others via group chats or social media posts has even less value.
What to watch: The latest tech danger teens are facing is the rise of AI chatbots.
- These AI friends or romantic interests have been heralded as a cure for loneliness. But they might escalate feelings of isolation, experts say. And they could be especially dangerous for teens who already struggle with depression or anxiety.
- The debate over these bots has intensified since one teen fell in love with a chatbot and ended up taking his own life last year.
Reality check: Online communication can't replace in-person hangouts. But it's better than no communication at all, Hall says.
- Plus, many kids and teens learn new things online through chatbots or YouTube videos. And many use tech tools to make music or art. Taking away devices isn't necessarily the answer.
The bottom line: Don't try to shut off the world.
- "Your goal as a parent," Hall says, "is to equip your kids with the tools to handle the media that they will have access to."
Go deeper: "AI bots enter the group chat," by Axios' Megan Morrone.
