Most teenagers and youths use WhatsApp and Snapchat. They have made the two social media sites relatively popular than the other Apps. A survey was done and stipulated that teenagers have many confidential information that they always want them to remain private from their parents and teachers that is why they adapt to new ways of communicating electronically to suit their needs.
The new survey by a global firm Pew Research Centre provides that 36 per cent of smartphone owners report using messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Kik or iMessage. Nearly 17 per cent use apps that automatically delete sent messages such as Snapchat or Wickr. These Apps are popular among teenagers and the youths.
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The findings established that half (49 per cent) of smartphone owners ages 18 to 29 use messaging apps, while 41 per cent use apps that automatically delete sent messages. These apps are technically free, and when connected to Wi-Fi, they do not use up SMS (Short Messaging Service) or other data.
“Furthermore, they offer a more private kind of social interaction than traditional social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter,” the report found.
23 percent of the surveyed forum users are 23 to 29 year old and 15 percent of online adults say they visit online forums, with users on these sites skewing young. Pew surveyed about 1,600 internet users over the age of 18 from March to April 2015.
The report known as Mobile Messaging and Social Media found that 85 percent of adults are internet users and 67 per cent are smartphone users. 15 per cent of internet users read or comment in discussion forums such as reddit, Digg or Slashdot while 10 per cent use the blogging website Tumblr.
“Young adults are particularly likely to use both Tumblr and discussion forums more generally, and men are more likely than women to participate in discussion forums online,” the findings revealed.
Generally, Facebook remains the most popular social media site. 72 per cent of online adults are Facebook users. Growth on the site has largely plateaued. There has not been a significant change in the overall share of users since 2012. Those on Facebook remain highly engaged with 70% saying they log on daily, including 43% who do so several times a day. The proportion of online adults who use Pinterest and Instagram has doubled since Pew Research Center first started tracking social media platform adoption in 2012.
Parents and guardians have to take control of their teenagers because private social media sites like WhatsApp can ruin a child’s life in school and social well being since they spend most of their time online.
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