Teen Reactions to 2024 Teens & Screens Findings
The Teens & Screens 2024 Report yielded critical information about adolescents and their media consumption. Teens opened up about their preferences in storylines, the types of media they prefer, and their feelings on media and its connection to the young adult experience. We asked Jasmine and Sarina, two of our Youth Media Representation program alumni, to share their thoughts on the report’s key findings.
Jasmine: Young Adults Prefer Fantasy Worlds
When I’ve had a rough day of being a teenager, watching a show or movie where someone else has a rough day of being a teenager is, frankly, not very appealing. Instead, it’s Mamma Mia, Rick and Morty, or Pride and Prejudice that calls to me. On the surface, they seem wildly different, but they have one thing in common: I relate to the characters, but not to their stories.
It’s very unlikely that you’ll find me running a hotel in Greece with a daughter who has three possible fathers, traversing universes and dimensions with my grandpa, or living in regency-era England and falling in love with a brooding gentleman with little to no social skills. (Although, let’s be honest, I wouldn’t mind that third option). However, I do relate to Donna’s free spirit, Rick and Morty’s love of adventure, and Elizabeth Bennett’s playful snark and fierce conviction. That’s why I wasn’t surprised that in the 2024 Teens & Screens Report, adolescents voiced a preference for both authenticity and fantasy content — and why I don’t see those two desires (for authentic content and fantasy content) as contradictory.
Let’s be real: life can be hard. Sometimes, taking a breather in another world can help. I think part of the reason so many of my peers want more content based in fantasy worlds is because this type of media provides an escape. Magic, dragons, superpowers — they give us a break from the stress or boredom of real day-to-day life.
It’s not that fantasy shows are always happy-go-lucky. On the contrary, shows like Game of Thrones are anything but lighthearted. What makes them appealing is that they offer something exciting and fresh, a reality we don’t already know.
While Mamma Mia, Rick and Morty, and Pride and Prejudice aren’t necessarily rooted in fantasy worlds, they all take me to a different time or place, full of adventure and possibility. Even fantasy shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which technically take place in high school, focus less on real life stressors (i.e. “who likes who” or worrying about grades), and instead bring us into a story that goes beyond the everyday challenges of being a teenager.
Sarina: Social Media Offers The Most Authentic Content
If you were to ask anyone at my high school about why they use social media, chances are they would say something to the effect of “because it’s authentic.” It turns out young people who were surveyed in the 2024 Teens and Screens Report agree: About a third of participants described social media as “the most authentic media source.”
I am a huge fan of watching content creators who talk about real life — even if it’s a life very different from my own. Some of my favorites discuss things like the best restaurants to visit in New York (which I’ve never been to) or rank discontinued candies (which I’ll likely never be able to try). Why? Because I love the interactions that take place in these kinds of videos, from awkward small talk at a subway station to an unexpected, heartfelt reunion at a nearby park. This type of unscripted content helps me stay grounded and connected.
Another key finding from the 2024 Teens and Screens Report was that YouTube was 38.8% of adolescents’ top social media pick for authenticity. TikTok no longer held the top spot, which might result from teens wanting more meaningful connections, something that doesn’t feel quite as possible through the short-form videos TikTok is known for. The longer a video, the more the audience can establish a bond with the creator. In turn, creators can respond to their audience by seeing what content is resonating with viewers and adjust material based on this feedback.
Authentic content is clearly important to us (which is why we all like social media so much), but creatives and media executives continue to miss the mark: 45.1% of adolescents surveyed said they find social media portrayals on film and TV to be inaccurate. I agree, we need to expand our depictions of young people’s relationships to social media beyond stereotypical ideas of “screenagers.” Teens are eager to help: adolescents in the survey overwhelmingly expressed being in favor of consulting with creatives to help create more accurate portrayals.
Ultimately, online authenticity brings about real world benefits. It can bring awareness to so many different types of lived experiences, both large and small, that create community and open up hard conversations in accessible ways. And as content creators share more about their lives, identities, and even challenges, the audience feels more empowered to do so as well.
As my peers and I seek authenticity in our social media experiences, it is the genuine interactions and relatable moments in these videos that foster a deeper connection, reminding us all of the importance of staying connected both digitally and in real life.
Sarina: Romance Is Still Out, Nomance Is Still In
We’ve all seen the classic romance tropes: the forbidden love between the nerd and the jock, the academic rivals going from enemies to lovers, the cheery actor and the angsty poet paired together for a project. But where are the storylines and characters that more accurately reflect our modern teenage experience?
63.5% of the adolescents in the 2024 Teens and Screens survey said they want to see less romantic and more platonic relationships on screen. As an adolescent myself, I couldn't agree more. I want to see a new normal on screen: the “friends-to-best friends” trope; the “self-loathing to self-love” trope. This is the kind of stuff we desperately need and want to see.
Between the ages of 10-24, young people begin to develop their values, and exposure to media content has a clear influence on how they perceive both themselves and the world around them. When romance is a central part of every plot, it can be easy for teens to feel undue pressure to date and mirror behaviors on screen, which aren’t always the healthiest. Media often romanticizes abusive behaviors and sets unrealistic expectations around sex and partnership. However, just because a film features teens doesn’t mean it accurately reflects the realities and preferences of adolescent life today.
The survey also found that teens want to see more diverse portrayals of people their age on screen. And the first step content creators can take to do that is to focus on teens’ journeys to find themselves rather than their journeys to find love. After all, 85% of both adults and adolescents struggle with low self-esteem, and older adolescents and teens who spent more than three hours a day viewing media had higher rates of low self-esteem. How can teens be expected to love someone else if they’re still trying to figure out how to like themselves?
Teenagers today are more than just flat characters concerned about an upcoming date. We’re complex individuals wrestling with the pressures of school, growing up, fitting in, planning our future, battling anxiety and depression, and countless other stressors. We deserve to see characters that reflect the nuance of our lives today, who we can relate to rather than feel reduced by — and who can help us understand more about who we actually are rather than what out of touch executives think we are trying to be.
Teens like me are tired of being rushed into romance that modern media is so quick to normalize at such a young age. We deal with enough daily pressure as it is. What we really need is time and space to figure out who we are and what we want — and storylines and friends who can help us with that growth.
To love others, teens must first love themselves. The journey in doing so might include hard work, but that accurate portrayal is what teens, like myself, are looking for. Listen to the unique stories teens have and include them in the content they watch. I am certain that is something we would all want to see.
Jasmine: The Movie Theater Experience Isn’t Dead
When reviewing the 2024 Teens and Screens research results, I was not at all shocked to learn that Gen Z greatly prefers to watch movies on the big screen. There are very few things better than popcorn, a blue raspberry ICEE, and a friend by your side as a movie plays on the big screen. In a world increasingly defined by isolation and technology, there’s something really special about being in a room full of friends or strangers to share the experience of watching something exciting, scary, or funny.
Being in a theater is so much different than streaming something alone in your bedroom. The feeling that you and everyone else in the room are immersed in something together, the collective shock, laughter, or “awhs” can make you feel –– if only for those two hours –– that you’re part of something bigger. Not only is it an experience that can bring you closer to people, but going to the movies is often a great way to get to know someone in a low-pressure setting: there’s not too much conversation required and, afterwards, you have two hours of content to talk about.
Last year, the Teens and Screens report referenced the growing need for “third spaces,” which are environments to connect with others outside of where you work or live. In the past, third spaces have looked like parks, malls, and cafes. But in the aftermath of the pandemic and with the rise of digital culture, more and more young people have turned to the internet as their third space.
I don’t think social media will ever stop serving as an important third space for young people, but I also know nothing can fully replace the importance of in-person experiences. And movie theaters today offer us that unique other in-person place where we can relax, socialize, and build community outside of the traditional venues of work, home, or school. When you sit down in a darkened theater with others to share the experience of watching a film, it creates a sense of connection that digital spaces can’t replicate. And, young or old, we’re all still humans who value and crave community and connection.
So no, the movie theater experience isn’t dead. Like many of my peers, I love going to the movies. I would definitely go more often if it wasn’t so darn expensive!
Jasmine Sorgen is a senior at Harvard-Westlake and a Youth Media Representative for the Center for Scholars and Storytellers. She serves as Director of Operations for Westflix, a high school film festival, and has attended the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio and UCLA’s summer screenwriting intensive. Jasmine is passionate about storytelling, filmmaking, and using media to inspire meaningful change.
Sarina Marzbani is a sophomore at Orange County School of the Arts and a former member of CSS's YMR program. Her passion for accurate representation led her to join YMR, speak about the topic through a TED talk, and create her project Read and Write to Unite; her mission is to expose elementary-level students to books that portray MENASA culture and its people in a positive and accurate light.