Today’s Teens Favor YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat

Last week (May 31, 2018), the Pew Research Center released a report on Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018, based on a survey they took between March 7 and April 10, 2018.  Teens are defined by those between the ages of 13 and 17. There were 743 respondents.

The headline that I have seen most often is that this survey shows that teens have “ditched” or moved away from, Facebook.  This is in comparison to their 2014 -2015 teen survey in which 71% were on Facebook, today it is 51% coming in 4^th on the list behind YouTube (85%), Instagram (72%) and Snapchat (69%). Fifty-one percent is still significant participation in my mind, just not as much as it used to be.

Another interesting data point from this survey is that 95% of teens have or have access to, a smartphone.  This technology is simply part of their everyday life and will continue to be so as they become adults, get jobs, get married, raise families—a time not that far away for some of them.

What does this mean for Ministry?

This is a question we need to ask daily as the culture evolves, as the people we serve live in a world that is very different from the world 5, 10, 20, 50 years ago.  To have a truly “incarnate” ministry, we need to be where our people are, we need to “accompany” them—a point Pope Francis often makes.  This is especially true when we think about our younger members.

On March 1 of this year, the Pew Research Center released a report on Social Media Use by U.S. Adults. They found that the majority of Americans use Facebook (68%) and YouTube (73%), and that younger adults (ages 18-24) are especially heavy users of Instagram (71%) and Snapchat (78%).

Why is this information important to us?  Because social media and digital communications are important in the lives of the people we serve. If we love and respect them we pay attention to the things that matter to them.

Social Media Ministry is a Must for Every Diocese, Parish, and Religious Institution

The operative word here for Church use of social media is “ministry.”  It is not enough to have a Facebook Page, a Twitter or Instagram account for our ministry.  We need to be there as loving companions, who care about our followers and who share “Good News,” that inspires, informs, encourages, consoles, supports and even challenges them at times.  We make them smile, we make them think, we help them pray and to live their lives more joyfully. We form a digital faith community. Through social media, we have the power to “connect” with people (including those who no longer attend Church) throughout the week not just on Sunday—we need only the will to make it happen.

Here are links to the reports mentioned in this post:

Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018

Social Media Use by U.S. Adults

Please share your thoughts/questions below.  Thank you.