Measuring time spent with media: the Common Sense census of media use by US 8- to 18-year-olds

As the types of media activities and devices available to youth have multiplied, it has become increasingly challenging to measure the amount of time young people spend with media. But although it is difficult to do so, it is still possible, and even though the methods we have are imperfect, they still offer valuable information. Detailed measures of time spent with media can offer insights into what “screen time” consists of for young people today. The commentary offers examples from data collected for the non-profit organization Common Sense through a nationally representative, probability-based survey of 2,658 8- to 18-year-olds in the US in 2015. The data challenge several commonly held assumptions, and confirm others. The commentary includes findings concerning young people’s engagement in media activities such as watching TV and online videos, playing video, mobile and computer games, using social media, reading, listening to music, and using computers, tablets, and smartphones to access the internet.