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Video games help and harm U.S. teens — leading to both friendships and bullying, Pew survey says
CBSN
Video games are where U.S. teens form friendships — but also where a majority say they experience bullying and name-calling, a Pew survey released Thursday found.
More than 1,400 teens from ages 13-17 participated in the survey last fall, answering questions on various aspects of their relationship with video games. Some of the results are to be expected. For instance, a large majority of teens in the U.S. — more than 85% — play video games.
But other topics weren't so clear cut and painted a more complex picture of how teens viewed their experience. Survey participants reported video games were how they had fun and made friends, despite also reporting bullying, harassment and name-calling. But even with those issues, they still wanted to continue playing, saying gaming also helped them with their problem-solving skills and even their mental health.