From social media to gaming, apps, and more, adolescent boys spend hours each day online. Recent research reveals how this relates to their identities, relationships, and emotional well-being.

Common Sense Media surveyed more than 1,000 adolescent boys across the country on subjects like the material they see online, where they find community, what they do to fit in, and how it all makes them feel.

The results are complicated, compelling, and occasionally concerning:

• Adolescent boys live and connect online: 94% use social media or play online games daily, and 60% find influencers “inspirational.”
• Three in four boys age 11 to 17 regularly encounter masculinity-related posts about building muscle, making money, fighting, dating and relationships, or weapons.
• Algorithms, not user intent, are the primary driver of boys’ exposure to posts about masculinity. 68 percent of boys who see such material online say it started showing up in their feed without them searching for it.
• Nearly half of boys believe they must follow “unwritten rules” (like not crying or showing fear) to avoid being teased or picked on

Parents are boys’ first choice for support, but other trusted adults, including teachers and coaches, have a role to play, too.

Real-world relationships are crucial for boys’ mental health and self-esteem. Most boys report having multiple people they could turn to in a tough situation: 68 percent have two or more people they could connect with, 24 percent have one person to connect with, while only 8 percent report having no one to turn to for support.

Ninety-one percent of boys encounter body image messages online, with three-quarters of boys exposed to online material about being muscular. Nearly one in four say social media makes them feel like they should change the way they look, and boys exposed to more masculinity-related posts were more than four times as likely than those with low exposure to say social media makes them feel they should change how they look.

While most boys find a sense of belonging in gaming, 70 percent observe bullying or harassment and more than half hear racist, homophobic, or misogynistic language.

But there’s good news: Real-world relationships remain critical for boys’ mental health and self-esteem. Parents are boys’ first choice for support, but other trusted adults, including teachers and coaches, have a role to play, too.

The report includes recommendations for parents and caregivers, educators, policymakers, and industry on how to best help boys navigate their digital lives while preserving their well-being.

Read or download the full report from Common Sense Media.

Do you have concerns about how social media is affecting your teen? Check out our podcast to hear from CHC experts on how to to develop healthy social media practices.