A new nationwide survey from Pew Research Center reveals that 24 percent of teens ages 13-17 say they are online “almost constantly,” and 92 percent go online daily.
According to the survey, 73 percent of teens surveyed have a smartphone, while only 12 percent have no cellphone of any kind.
The boost in smartphone ownership and increased time spent on the Web represents “a major change” in teens’ connectivity and phone habits, said lead researcher Amanda Lenhart in an interview. In 2012, just one-third of teens surveyed owned a smartphone.
The survey also uncovered demographic differences in the types of devices teenagers own. African-American teens were found to be more likely to have smartphones, with 85 percent owning those hand-held devices, compared to 71 percent of both white and Hispanic teens. However, 91 percent of white and upper-income teenagers have access to a desktop or laptop in comparison to eight in 10 African-American, Hispanic, and middle- and lower-income teens.
