Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

Teenagers say social media do not have any impact on them. Positive content is more in demand on social media. School counselling would help prevent school tragedies in the future.  

MOSCOW, March 6, 2019. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a study on the impacts of social media on the youth, as viewed by Russians.

More than half of respondets aged 14-17 (54%) consider that social networking do not have any impact on teenagers. The answers provided by respondents of full age differ from that of minors. Persons aged 18 and over tend to think that social media have negative effects on teenagers (58%). However both adults and adolescents report to rarely face negative content.

Seventeen percent of social media users aged 18 and over and 20% of those under age have come across two or more stories related to dangerous content. Positive content is used more actively on social media: 88% of social media users encountered calls for healthy lifestyles; 79%, information motivating people to help animals (responses by those under age and those of age do not differ). 

According to 42% of respondents aged 14-17 and 36% of those aged over 18, school counselling services should be introduced to prevent future school incidents. In addition, respondents in both groups think it is important to toughen security measures, to create the conditions for teenager leisure activities, to develop outreach services for the troubled families and to block the groups promoting crime, violence and suicide. Most of respondents across all age groups are confident that the talk shows showcasing school incidents on federal TV channels should be restricted (71% of minors (aged 14-17) and 72% of respondents aged 18 and over). 

The survey findings suggest that the awareness of the dangerous groups on social media (those promoting suicide, violence and terrorism) is rather low; and the awareness levels differ little both in minors and population in general. Indeed, 16% of adults and 18% of adolescents are aware of public groups disseminating suicide-related content; 10% and 11% are aware of groups promoting violence; 9% and 6%, terrorism.

The key reasons behind public interest in such groups are beyond online environment. They are psychological problems of adolescents themselves (49% of minors; 33% of persons aged 18 and over), lack of parental control (29% and 38%, respectively) and conflicts with peers (31% and 24%, respectively). Teenagers’ participation in dangerous groups is mainly seen as a result of their real-life problems (53% of respondents aged 18 and over and 60% of the 14-17-year-olds).

An overwhelming majority of adolescents (98%) say that they use the Internet on a daily basis; moreover, 89% check their social media almost every day. Unlike adolescents, just 69% of adults go on the Internet every day; 53% visit social networking websites.  

VCIOM survey was conducted on January 28, 2019. The survey was commissioned by Vkontakte website and involved a sample of 219 respondents (Russians aged 14-17) and a sample of 1,200 respondents (Russians aged 18 and over). The survey was conducted using a random sample of landline and mobile phone numbers from the complete list of the telephone numbers operating in Russia. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3% for the adult sample. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

 

There are different opinions on the impacts of social media on teenagers. Which of the statements do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

Social media have negative effects on teenagers  

22

58

Social media have positive effects on teenagers  

19

10

Social media do not have any impact on teenagers   

54

16

Don’t know

5

15

Have you encountered the following information on social media over the last year, or not?

(closed-ended question, one answer per each line, % of those who use the Internet and social media)  

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

 

Yes, I have

No, I haven’t

Don’t know

Yes, I have

No, I haven’t

Don’t know

Positive content

Calls for healthy lifestyles

88

11

1

88

11

1

Helping animals

79

20

1

81

17

2

Negative content

Promoting violence

28

71

1

32

66

2

Promoting drugs

16

83

1

11

88

1

Incitement to ethnic violence  

8

92

0

13

86

1

Promotion or justification of murders committed by minors  

13

87

0

11

88

1

Incitement to suicide

19

80

1

5

94

1

Visibility of “dangerous content” (% of total respondents using social media)

 

Aged 14-17

18 +

Those who did not encounter any dangerous content

54

58

Those who encountered only 1 story related to dangerous content  

26

25

Those who encountered 2 or more stories related to dangerous content  

20

17

               

In your opinion, what should the Russian government do to prevent school tragedies in future?

 (closed-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

To follow and block the groups promoting crime, violence and suicide on social media  

28

40

To introduce school counselling   

42

36

To create the conditions for teenager leisure activities

24

37

To toughen security measures  

42

28

To launch preventive activities/outreach services  for the troubled families

32

29

To limit violence on TV

13

30

To toughen legislation on arms  circulation

21

25

Other  

5

13

Don’t know

2

2

Which of the statements regarding the media coverage of tragedies involving teenagers do you most agree with?

 (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

Such tragedies should be discussed in talk shows on the federal TV channels  

25

19

Discussing such tragedies should be restricted in talk shows on the federal TV channels  

71

72

Don’t know

4

9

Are you aware/have you heard/do you hear for the first time of the following social media groups/communities?

“Groups promoting…” (closed-ended question, 1 answer per each line, % of total respondents)

 

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

 

I am aware

I heard something but I do not know any details

I hear about that for the first time/ don’t know

I am aware

I heard something but I do not know any details

I hear about that for the first time/ don’t know

Murder and suicide

18

41

41

16

60

24

Violence

11

30

59

10

50

40

Terrorism

6

24

70

9

49

42

               

Data suggest that there are plenty of social media groups/communities promoting murders, violence and suicide. In your opinion, what are the reasons for  the teenager interest in these groups/topics? (closed-ended question, not more than 2 answers, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

Lack of parental control

29

38

Teenagers’ psychological problems (depression, etc.)

49

33

Conflicts with peers, bulling

31

24

Generally high level of social violence

16

16

Availability, no strict ban on dangerous groups

11

15

Lack of  law enforcement bodies’ control  

5

10

Desire to find people with similar problems

18

7

Showcasing violence  in mass media

6

9

Lack of control from school

5

7

Other  

3

11

Don’t know

1

3

Which of the statements regarding the groups promoting violence, crime and suicide in social media do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

Participation in these groups result from adolescents’ real-life problems

60

53

Participation in these groups is the reason behind adolescents’ real-life problems

33

30

Don’t know

6

17

Do you use the Internet? If yes, how often?

 (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

More than 4 hours  daily

67

30

Every day; less than 4 hours a day

31

39

Several times a week

2

9

Several times a month

0

3

Occasionally but at least once every six month

0

1

Never

18

Don’t know

0

 0

Do you use social networks? If yes, how often? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of  those who use the Internet)

 

Aged 14-17

Aged 18 +

Every day/ almost every day

89

53

Several times a week

9

15

Once a week but more than once a month

1

7

Once a month or less often

0

4

No, never

1

20

Don’t know

0

1

 

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

 

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