Social networking sites provide teens with their own personal online space.Just like their real rooms, these virtual spaces become a reflection of what they're all about, and they will decorate it with colors,writings, art, pictures, and videos.
A Pew Internet & American Life Project Report on Teens & Social media released last December gives us insight on how teens are using the Internet for creating and sharing content.
Specifically,
39% of online teens share their own artistic creations online, such as artwork, photos, stories, or videos.
33% create or work on webpages or blogs for others, including those for groups they belong to, friends, or school assignments.
28% have created their own online journal or blog.
27% maintain their own personal webpage.
26% remix content they find online into their own creations. Social networking sites are a powerful form of expression for our teens today. It empowers them to express who they are and what they are all about. View the full report here.
These online personal spaces go beyond content sharing and also serve as a place to hangout and communicate. The Pew Report indicates that 91% of all social networking teens say they use the sites to stay in touch with friends they see frequently, while 82% use the sites to stay in touch with friends they rarely see in person. And, 72% of all social networking teens use the sites to make plans with friends with 49% using the sites to make new friends.
