By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
How your teen is using social media
e8833ef2510a5f4abfb81836975a3830753b76bc43ebc9f28c8fc79f0ffa496f
Teens are constantly using social media. And it turns out that Facebook is their main hangout spot. - photo by Herb Scribner
Teens use social media at an almost constant rate, according to the Pew Research Centers latest report on teens and social media. And Facebook, somewhat unsurprisingly, still leads the way.

The report found that Facebook is the most popular and most frequently used social media app for American teens, with 71 percent of American teens using the social network. About half of all teens use Instagram, 41 percent use Snapchat and 33 percent use Twitter and Google+, Pew reported.

And 41 percent of teens use Facebook more frequently than any other social media app. Instagram was the second most frequently used app at 20 percent and Snapchat was right behind with 11 percent. Twitter, Google+, Tumblr and Vine were among the least frequently used social media platforms.

Boys and girls use social media in different ways, too. As you can see in this graph, Pew found that girls are more likely than boys to use Instagram, Snapchat, online pinboards like Pinterest and Tumblr.

The Pew Research Centers report also found a social media disparity between income levels. Though Facebook still reigns supreme as the most used social media platform for all households, teens from wealthier families use Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter more than people from low-income families. In fact, teens from families with a household income of $100,000 or more used Snapchat twice as much as those from a family with a household income of less than $30,000.

It should be noted that some of these differences may be artifacts of differences in use of these sites by these different subgroups of teens, Pew reported. For example, Instagram and Snapchat are image-based apps that often highlight lavish purchases, vacations and activities that low-income families may not be exposed to.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
Placeholder Image

Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

Latest Obituaries