A Reflection on Teens, Tech, and Third Places
August 20, 2026 | By Levana H.
“Belonging In a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third Places” is a California Partners Project research report conducted with more than one thousand teens aged 13-18 about social connection and AI usage. This study highlighted the importance of having third places for youth.
What are Third Places?
Third places are spaces outside of home, work, or school that allow for social bonding and engagement. For teens, these spaces can provide the opportunity to make friends, develop independence, and feel connected to their community.
The Challenge of Finding Connection
Having a place to meet friends can make a big difference. However, many teens struggle to find spaces that are: affordable, safe, welcoming, and accessible.
The research found that the biggest barriers preventing teens from spending time together outside of home or school include:
My Personal Experience
While technology makes it easier to stay connected, it can’t replace the friendships built through spending time together in person. After distance learning, I noticed that I became more introverted and reserved. Spending most of my days alone in my room made it difficult to reconnect socially when school returned to ‘in person’ as most people already had their own friend groups. It made me realize how important welcoming spaces are for helping teens build meaningful connections.
My Community’s Example
In my community, one of the few places teens commonly gather is in a local boba shop. While it provides a welcoming environment, it is not always ideal as a consistent third place because it can become crowded and require spending money. Other than the boba shop, there are few places teens can easily access without needing transportation.
Why Teens Turn to AI
Due to the limited number of available hangout spaces and opportunities to connect with others, many teens use AI chatbots to express their feelings instead. The report shows that lonely teens (48.1%) are more likely to use AI chatbots compared to all teens (36.7%). Additionally, 47.7% of teens agreed or strongly agreed that they would use AI chatbots less if there were more places to connect in person. I feel like the appeal of AI chatbots comes from their instant response and positive feedback. However, this can create fake confidence and limit critical thinking.
Why Creating More Third Places Matters
A place to hang out may seem simple, but it can have a major impact on a teen’s sense of belonging. Third places give teens opportunities to:
Meet new people
Build friendships
Develop a sense of belonging
Relax and reduce stress
About the author
Levana (she/her) is a high school student interested in youth mental health, community engagement, and the ways digital spaces shape young people's everyday lives. She is passionate about understanding how the environments around young people can influence their well-being and opportunities to connect. She is grateful to have had the opportunity to read the Teens, Tech, and Third Spaces report and transform its findings into a blog post!
Additional Tools and Insights 📚
GoodforMEdia Guide for Teens: AI in the Digital World: This guide offers practical tips to help youth understand how AI works, recognize its limits, and use it in ways that support creativity, connection, and mental health.
GoodforMEdia Guides and Tools: Explore additional resources created by youth to help their peers and adult allies navigate the positive and negative aspects of social media.
Sources 🔍
Belonging In a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third PlacesCalifornia Partners Project
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