US: Most Girls Get Unsolicited Messages on Social Media
More than half of 11-15-year-old girls using Instagram and Snapchat in the United States have been contacted by strangers in a way that made them feel uncomfortable, according to a report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology in order to safeguard children.
Meanwhile, as Statista’s Anna Fleck reports, some 48 per cent of teen girls in the U.S. said they had been sent unsolicited messages over a messaging app, as 46 per cent were contacted over TikTok and 30 per cent on YouTube.
The report also reveals figures on how nearly half (45 per cent) of girls who use TikTok say they feel “addicted” to the platform or use it more than intended at least weekly.
In terms of the most “addictive”, or the highest share of users who reported using it more than intended at least weekly, the order is as follows: Snapchat (37 per cent), YouTube (34 per cent), Instagram (33 per cent) and then Messaging apps (30 per cent).
Perceptions among teenage girls on how different social media features affect their well-being were mixed. The two features that were most widely seen as having a negative impact were location sharing (45 per cent said it was negative) and public accounts (33 per cent). Recommended videos (49 per cent) and notifications features (41 per cent) were seen as more positive overall.
