The Jacket surveyed a sample of 368 students to explore the role of gender in the perception of social media among teens. Additionally, interviews gave students a space to share their views on social media and how it affects them personally.
Students Who Agreed that ‘Social Media Negatively Affects My Mental Health’
Volunteer Survey
[For girls], people are gonna expect things from you based on what you post. You gotta watch yourself, especially when you’re young.
Konani Chinn, she/they, IS junior
I Am Addicted to Social Media
Volunteer Survey
For men, there’s a lot of sexual insecurity. The way that algorithms are set up can feed you content that feed you really bad [misconceptions] of sex.
Travis Baldwin, he/him, CAS senior
Students Who Agreed that ‘Social Media Is Good for Me’
Volunteer Survey
“I think that social media has enforced (especially in our generation) the idea that we exist to be consumed, and if certain things aren’t documented, they didn’t really happen or they weren’t meaningful…. my sense of identity sometimes feels a little bit warped.”
Raquel Matthews, she/they, AC senior
Students Who Agreed that ‘Social Media Affects My Body Language’
Volunteer Survey
For women it’s more beauty based, and for men it’s more performance based.
Travis Baldwin, he/him, CAS senior
Average Daily Screen Time of BHS Students
Volunteer Survey
You have to put out what you want people to see about you, but at a certain point, people are gonna expect certain things from you based on what you post. You gotta watch yourself, especially when you’re young
Students Who Agreed that ‘Social Media Makes Me Feel Insecure’
Volunteer Survey
Girls are more interactive and fun [on social media] but that can turn toxic. I feel like guys don’t care as much.
Konani Chinn, she/they, IS junior
The Parts of Social Media That Make BHS Students Most Insecure or Unhappy
Volunteer Survey
Charts by Eliot Hertenstein