Swipe, scroll, speak up: youth voices on AI and social media

Do you know someone whose child has become dependent on their AI? Is their AI helping them deal with issues, to lose weight? Is their AI mocking them? Or maybe their AI is the best friend? If so we're looking for your help.

This summer, we have been running focus groups and talks at Raise with children all over the world aged 13-16, to hear their opinions on social media. What they told us ended up being more about AI. It has been nothing short of staggering, at times heartbreaking, sometimes obvious and perhaps inevitable, but we felt worthy of serious attention.

As we all know, AI is everywhere. So is social media. But the age at which children are starting to use both, and the ways in which AI is entering children's consciousness through social media has been a topic that all of us here, and the kids we've spoken to, wanted to understand further.

We are hearing first hand stories that children younger than 12 are routinely bypassing age restrictions to access AI and social media, and that the use of AI and social media is aging them in ways even their parents aren't seeing. We're hearing about children spending 10+ hours a day online, using AI for everything, regularly through their social media where AI is one of their friends, and that they are becoming reliant on AI emotionally. We hear about AI being used as a therapist, a lover, a dietician and of course as a school cheat code - all by children.

With social media regulation and new child bans on the horizon around the world, our research is showing us alarmingly that kids think it just won't work, and even that it could do more harm than good.

This is why we have launched a new piece of research, run by Raise, called Swipe, scroll, speak up: youth voices on AI and social media. We plan to examine through first hand data, to go with our qualitative research, just how children are experiencing AI and social media now, and how they deal with changes such as bans. We want this research to help a wider understanding amongst children, parents and guardians, but also regulators, law makers, schools and everyone.

If you would like to participate in the research, you can start here.