Becoming a teenager is not only a milestone that comes with hormonal changes, it's the age a minor can legally create a social media profile. As newly minted teens grapple with their identity and friendships in the real world, for some, there is an added pressure caused by the digital world and the growing use of social media.
More than 90% of 13- and 14-year-old teens have a smartphone and more than half use social media, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
"There's this audience, or a perception of an audience, at all times, and it lives in this device," said Jessica Bennett, a contributing editor for The New York Times, who chronicled the life of three 13-year-olds in America.
Two Kansas City 13-year-olds share how they use their phones and the discussions they have about the effects of social media.
- Jessica Bennett, contributing editor, The New York Times
- Makinah Faust, student, Lee’s Summit School District
- Shannon Crum, student, Kansas City Public Schools
