More Than Half of Teens Wish They Connected More In-Person, New Statewide Research Finds

Nearly half of teen AI chatbot users say they'd use them less if more places existed to gather in person, according to new research from the California Partners Project; Survey of over 1,000 California teens reveals what California teens are really asking for: places to belong.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new research report released today by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and the California Partners Project finds that California teens are not retreating from in-person friendship — they are actively seeking it.

Conducted in collaboration with digital security platform Aura, the California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, the Family Online Safety Institute, and the Stanford Social Media Lab, "Belonging in a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third Places" draws on a statewide survey of over 1,000 teens ages 13–18 and focus groups with parents and caregivers.

"Our children deserve a childhood that belongs to them — not to the platforms competing for their time," said Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California First Partner and Co-founder of the California Partners Project. "This research makes clear that teens themselves are asking for more places to gather, belong, and grow up in the real world. The path forward in a digital age runs through real-world investment — in parks, libraries, youth centers, and the community spaces where young people can connect and thrive."

The findings point to a generation of digital natives that values face-to-face friendship and is asking for more third places — spaces beyond home and school — to gather, even as loneliness, AI companionship, and barriers to real-world time together reshape daily life for teens.

Key findings include:

• More than half of California teens (54.3%) report experiencing some degree of loneliness in the past month.
• Among teens who have used AI chatbots for friendship or social advice, 47.8% say they would use AI chatbots less if more places existed where they could connect in person.
• Teens who report feeling unsafe (57.3%) or unwelcome (48.2%) in real-world spaces use AI chatbots at notably higher rates than the overall baseline of 36.7% — suggesting that for some teens, technology is filling a belonging gap, not just a logistical one.
• When asked what makes a place feel like it's for them, teens rank free or low-cost first (59.8%), followed by friends being there (56.1%) and feeling safe (54.7%).

This research reframes the policy question for teens in a digital age. Regulating the platforms shaping young people's lives matters. The findings make the case for a second priority that deserves equal weight: treating third places as essential civic infrastructure for youth, and building, funding, and sustaining them accordingly.

For Timothy Leung, a youth co-designer on the project from San Jose, the findings reflect daily life:

"As a young person watching new technologies develop every day, it can feel frightening to realize how much of our lives are already shaped by technology — and how much more they may continue to be. The memories I cherish most were made in places like libraries and parks, where I could be present with other people instead of being on a screen. This research gives me hope because it shows that teens want more places to connect in person and that people are paying attention." — Timothy Leung, Age 19, Youth Co-Designer

Two California organizations creating the kind of third places this research points toward — spaces where teens find connection, belonging, safety, and independence — weighed in on what the findings mean for the work ahead.

"For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs have provided safe, supportive places where young people can grow and connect. This research, conducted with the California Partners Project, affirms what we see every day: teens want in-person connection with their peers, and they need free or affordable spaces where they feel safe and welcome. Across more than 1,000 sites in California, we will continue using these insights to adapt our work for today's teens by providing mentorship, life skills programming, and positive environments where young people can find belonging." — Sarah Bedy, Director, California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs

"This report confirms exactly what we hear from the hundreds of youth helping us build a network of allcove centers across California: Belonging matters more than buildings. Truly supporting youth means removing barriers to access and offering belonging, connection and emotional safety in environments that are free of judgment and preconditions. Without unstructured time and in-person places where young people can safely and comfortably be their true selves, they will disengage and miss out on the essential human connection they crave and vital services they need." — Vicki Harrison, Co-founder, allcove

The research was shaped from the start by the young people of California it sought to understand. Twenty-four youth advisors ages 15–25, from across the state, co-designed the survey.

To access the full report, "Belonging in a Digital Age: Teens, Tech, & Third Places," visit calpartnersproject.org/thirdplaces.

About the California Partners Project: Co-founded by California First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and Olivia Morgan, and in partnership with the people of California, the California Partners Project is dedicated to championing gender equity and ensuring that our state's technology industry is a force for good in the lives of kids.

About Aura: Aura is an AI-powered online safety company whose Digital Parenthood Initiative helps families navigate technology and supports healthy use of tech for kids and teens.

About the California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs: The California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs unites and supports more than 100 Boys & Girls Clubs across California, advancing shared advocacy, programming, and youth-serving practice for the young people they serve.

About the Family Online Safety Institute: The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) is an international nonprofit working to make the online world safer for kids and their families through public policy, industry best practices, and good digital parenting.

About the Stanford Social Media Lab: The Stanford Social Media Lab is a research lab at Stanford University producing research on human health and well-being in the era of social media and AI.

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SOURCE California Partners Project