In 2007, Australian researchers conducted one of the earliest studies on how internet communities serve as safe spaces for LGBTQ youth who face hostile environments at home. Not just surviving, but thriving onlineÄespite the risk of online harassment and isolation, social media can give LGBTQ youth space to explore their sexual identities and promote mental well-being. And about 39% said they had no one to talk to about their sexual orientation at all. They were less likely than non-LGBTQ kids to be friends with family members online and more likely to join social media sites their parents would disapprove of. Vladimir Vladimirov/E+ via Getty ImagesÄespite living in an area with higher levels of acceptance toward sexual minorities, our study participants felt a need to keep parts of their identities separate and hidden online. LGBTQ youth are less likely to be friends with family members online and more likely to join social media sites their parents would disapprove of. The LGBTQ youth we surveyed in our study were more likely to join an online group in order to reduce social isolation or feelings of loneliness, suggesting that they were able to reach out to and engage with social media networks outside of their in-person peer circles in supportive and fortifying ways. Conversely, LGBTQ youth are more likely to have friends they know only online, and to perceive these online friends as significantly more socially supportive than their in-person friends. We found that LGBTQ youth were significantly less likely than their straight peers to engage with their online friends. LGBTQ youth tend to have smaller online social networks than their straight peers. This is despite past censorship of LGBTQ content on certain platforms due to biases in the algorithm. Some social media platforms like Tumblr are considered a safer haven for sexual minorities than others, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown. Our 2019 survey of 1,033 children ages 10 to 16 found no difference between the amount of cyberbullying reported by straight versus sexual minority youth residing in a relatively progressive part of the U.S. However, the digital landscape may be shifting. This can result in increased rates of depression and feelings of suicide: 56% of sexual minorities experience depression, and 35% experience suicidal thoughts as a direct result of cyberbullying. LGBTQ youth are almost three times more likely to be harassed online than their straight, cisgender peers. The increased risk of cyberbullying that LGBTQ youth face is well-documented. My colleagues, Rachel Hodes and Amanda Richer, and I recently conducted a study on the social media experiences of LGBTQ youth, and we found that online networks can provide critical resources for them to explore their identities and engage with others in the community. I am a senior research scientist studying the benefits and challenges of teen social technology and digital media use. But understanding both the risks and the benefits of online support is key to helping LGBTQ youth thrive, both on- and offline. Scholarship about the online experiences of LGBTQ youth has traditionally focused on cyberbullying. Teens today have grown up on the internet, and social media has served as a space where LGBTQ youth in particular can develop their identities.
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