The 2019 YRBS indicators that are closest in content about social media use do not specifically ask how NH students use a computer i.e. apps, games, web-surfing etc. in the relevant questions. Rather, the questions ask for some general information about how much time NH students spend on computers for non academic time. And because the YRBS only surveys students in grades 9-12, we don't have a picture of how NH students in grades K-8 are using social media, or if they are using it at all. We assume they are.

The results of this survey question suggest that students in grades 9-12 are spending minutes per day on non academic screen time. Screen time is defined as:(counting time spent playing games, watching videos, texting, or using social media on their smartphone, computer, Xbox, PlayStation, iPad, or other tablet, for something that was not school work, on an average school day)

We can also see that NH students are spending more time on their computers; this data aligned with national reports.

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Overall, we know NH students spend a lot of time on their computers, or devices, but we don't know what apps they are using, what they are looking at, or if they are creating content. We can only make assumptions. Many educators worry that this is too much time, and that students are "addicted" to their phones. In the next page, we will look at some research about social media and the brain, and explore the science of addiction.