How are teens making sense of sex and relationships in a world where so much of that learning now happens online? It’s a question families, educators, and clinicians ask us often, and one our newest Pulse Survey set out to explore.
How Teens Navigate Sex, Relationships, and Social Media draws on a survey of 1,124 US teens ages 16 to 18. We examined the social norms they hold, their sexual health literacy and access to education, and the relationship and sexual content they encounter on social media. Some key findings:
Teens view peers and friends differently. Teens tend to see their broader peers as more sexually experienced and permissive than their close friends, whom they view as more cautious and more supportive of safer sex.
Algorithms shape what teens see.Overall exposure to relationship and sexual content is relatively low, and what teens do encounter comes largely from algorithmic recommendations rather than the accounts they choose to follow.
Adults aren’t always in the conversation. Most teens hold favorable attitudes toward safe sex, yet many have never discussed it with a parent, guardian, or healthcare provider, and boys are hearing about it less often than girls.
Together, these findings point to something we return to often: young people’s decisions are shaped by more than what they individually know. Supporting them takes a coordinated effort across schools, healthcare systems, families, and the platforms where they spend their time.
Read on for more from the Lab this month, including helpful resources for parents and caregivers.
Toward a healthy digital future,
Cori Stott Executive Director The Digital Wellness Lab
P.S. If you know someone who might benefit from these insights, please share this newsletter and encourage them to subscribe.
What Toy Story 5 Reveals About Childhood Today
Can a children’s movie tell us something real about growing up in a digital world? Toy Story 5 has families and researchers alike talking, and this month we’re sharing two very different takes on it.
The first marks the debut of Field Notes, a new series featuring perspectives from our team. In her post, the Lab’s Nicole Powell reads the film through a developmental lens, making the case that the more useful question isn’t how much time children spend on screens, but what happens when a single device begins serving the many developmental needs once met through toys, relationships, and everyday experiences.
We’re also sharing a parent’s perspective from California Partners Project’s Jennifer Heifferon, who saw the film with her two children, aged 3 and 13. Her takeaway: digital childhood doesn’t begin when a child gets a device because the world around them is already organized by screens, apps, peers, and now AI. It’s a dilemma she wishes more of us talked about.
(Me)dia Mindfulness Hub for Youth, Parents, Caregivers and Educators
Created with Pinterest, NAMLE and a network of trusted digital wellness experts, this unique hub bridges media literacy with everyday digital wellbeing to offer actionable, age-appropriate resources that empower the next generation. Explore the refreshed board, and save what inspires you.
The Digital Double-Edge: Navigating Connection and Comparison
Willow, a high school member of our 2025–2026 Student Advisory Council, examines the impact of AI on cognitive offloading in education, offering an evidence-backed 3-step framework to help students use AI for augmentation rather than as a replacement for critical thinking.
You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website or subscription link.
All information included in this newsletter is for educational purposes only. For medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your health care provider.
.png?upscale=true&width=1120&upscale=true&name=July%202026%20Public%20Newsletter_Pulse%20Survey%20(1200x300).png)
