The Social Institute, which equips students, families, and educators to navigate learning & well-being in a tech-fueled world, today released its fifth annual Student Insights Report on how social media and tech shape student experiences. This report captures the voices of more than 53,000 students and one million data points and spans grades 3 – 12 across the U.S. and abroad — making it the largest-ever dataset exploring how social media and technology shape student experiences.
“Social media and tech are moving targets, so it’s important to listen to students and understand how they are navigating them right now,” said Laura Tierney, Founder and CEO of The Social Institute. “With the rapid rise of A.I., the pressure to always be connected, and the increasing impact of grind culture, today’s students are navigating a landscape where tech plays a crucial, constant role in both their academic and personal lives. The more we understand students, the more we can empower and equip them with future-ready skills to thrive in a tech-fueled world.”
Two of the biggest trends impacting education right now are the evolution of A.I. and school cell phone bans.
In 2024, students embraced A.I. in and out of the classroom, including help with schoolwork and creating realistic images. Educators play a vital role in equipping students with the skills to critically evaluate A.I.-generated content and make responsible choices, and this starts with setting clear guidelines for A.I. use in their schools. Yet, when asked, only 22% of middle schoolers surveyed by The Social Institute say that their school has clear rules on how students can use A.I.
Additionally, with 97% of teens reporting they use their phones during the school day according to K-12 Dive, it’s clear that schools need guidelines for how and when students can use them. However, many students think that an outright ban on phone use is too far, as they rely on their cell phones to collaborate on projects, share documents, and communicate with families in case of emergencies. When The Social Institute explored the impact of stricter cell phone bans in schools with 5th through 8th graders, they told us that the most important reason for schools limiting cell phone use was to help students focus in class and get better grades.
When it comes to students’ favorite apps currently, the top choices are YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat. Regarding students’ favorite things about social media, the top responses were connecting with friends, playing games, and watching fun and interesting videos. Other key findings include:
- The biggest challenge students face with social media across all ages is spending too much time on it
- Students also face challenges with comparing themselves to others, and understanding what is real and what is fake
- 76 percent of 9th graders say they get their news from social media at least sometimes
- 57% of 9th – 12th graders shared they feel stressed or annoyed by drama in group chats at least sometimes
- 58% of 4th graders use Google a few times a week to daily to search websites or look up information
- Nearly half of 5th graders said they rarely or never make sure a video or post is positive or helpful before they share it
- 52% of 6th graders reported feeling like they are missing out on something fun their friends are doing, with frequency ranging from daily (8%) to often: a few times a week (18%) to sometimes: a few times a month (26%)
- 66% of 7th graders say they rarely or never experience or see online bullying
- 85% of 12th graders say they feel stressed about making decisions about their future after graduation
- The majority of students are getting their first smartphone at 11 years old
Schools across the country are using insights like these to inform school policies and lessons. Issaquah School District, located in Issaquah, Washington, leverages The Social Institute’s peer-to-peer learning platform and the insights it provides to support student growth and well-being in and out of the classroom. “With #WinAtSocial Insights, we can look at what problems are happening within each specific school, and then mine the lesson database to empower and equip our students with the resources they need at that moment in time,” said Erika Monroe, Middle School Instructional Technology Specialist. “We want to ensure our students can thrive in an increasingly connected world.”
