They call it “social” media – but popular stereotypes say that, in reality, it’s leaving us alienated from one another.

Kids these days, everyone says, don’t go outside, are introverted, plastered to their screens, and don’t have any social skills at all. But the truth is more interesting.

Social media connects in new ways that weren’t possible before the age of the Internet. What is new might also be scary and hard to understand – but that doesn’t always mean that it’s bad!

Social media and Internet users are, in fact, more likely to go outside, more likely to have a diverse group of friends, and less likely to feel socially isolated!

But they’re also more likely to feel depressed by a form of “social stress,” too. Get the details and break free from stereotypes with this infographic!