Teen agency beyond Meta’s reckoning
Research from Rutgers University suggests that current debates on teen social media use often overlook adolescent agency and developmental psychology. The study argues that platforms are designed to exploit the natural teenage drive for rewards, creating a unique vulnerability.
Why it matters
Understanding the psychological mechanics of teen media consumption is critical for shaping future platform regulation and digital safety policies.
Meryl is 13. She describes YouTube Shorts as “so addicting”; holding her attention “just long enough” that she loses track of everything else. She is one of dozens of teens who have participated in the research at the Teens, Family, and Technology Lab at Rutgers University. While the 13-year-old’s language is not unusual, teen voices are still largely missing from broader debates about social media use.
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