Boys in the Digital Wild: Online Culture, Identity, and Well-Being
October 8, 2025
From social media to gaming, apps, and more, adolescent boys spend hours each day online. Our new research reveals how this relates to their identities, relationships, and emotional well-being.
We surveyed more than 1,000 adolescent boys across the country on subjects like the material they see online, where they find community, what they do to fit in, and how it all makes them feel. The results are complicated, compelling, and occasionally concerning:
- Adolescent boys live and connect online: 94% use social media or play online games daily, and 60% find influencers "inspirational."
- Three in four boys age 11 to 17 regularly encounter masculinity-related posts about building muscle, making money, fighting, dating and relationships, or weapons.
- These posts showed up in two in three boys' feeds without them searching for it.
- Boys who encounter more of these posts are lonelier and less open about their feelings.
- Nearly half of boys believe they must follow "unwritten rules" (like not crying or showing fear) to avoid being teased or picked on.
But there's good news: Real-world relationships remain critical for boys' mental health and self-esteem. Parents are boys' first choice for support, but other trusted adults, including teachers and coaches, have a role to play, too.
Our report includes recommendations for parents and caregivers, educators, policymakers, and industry on how to best help boys navigate their digital lives while preserving their well-being. See our full list of resources below.
More resources:
- Read the press release
- Check out our Parents' Ultimate Guide to Boys' Digital Lives
- Learn about our new Digital Literacy & Well-Being Curriculum
- See the full research questionnaire