For millennials, Gen Z, and teens who are constantly on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Reddit, social media use is all-consuming. Some youth say they prefer it over regular texts and calls.

In 2015, Pew Research Center reported 92 percent of teenagers go online daily. According to Pew’s latest Social Media Fact Sheet, 7 in 10 Americans (69 percent, including adults) use social media, and the age range has increased from teens and young adults, to include adults age 50 and older.

“It’s how you get people’s attention,” said Dindi Santos, 18. “It’s, like, I want to keep up with everyone, and when you have an ongoing Snapchat ‘streak’ it’s an achievement. It shows you’re not a loner. And it’s a great way to procrastinate.”

Both teens say they check their smartphones at least twice an hour. “Sometimes I get caught up in it,” said Elisha Santos. “If I don’t catch up, I feel so behind.’

Sara Layon, a visual designer for a digital media advertising company in Silicon Valley, uses social media platforms and tools every day for her work involving data and user experience (UX) design.

“Social media came out of the need for self-expression and the desire to communicate, but now it’s more for personal utility. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram; they take the data and make the experience relevant to the user, from ads to news articles,” said Layon, 26. “Sometimes it’s scary because you can create this whole persona about yourself, based on how you curate your profile. Then they use the algorithms, look at your interests, and get you to recycle the program. It’s only changing by getting smarter.”

Layon, who is getting married next January, also uses Pinterest to plan out her wedding.

“We all feel like we need social media--to stay connected, for utility, and for the availability of information, finding out what’s going on. There’s so much data out there that people don’t know how to process, and social media makes it easy.”