YouTube is the Top Platform for Storytelling Among 10- to 24-Year-Olds

YouTube is the top platform for storytelling among 72.9% of young Americans aged 10 to 24, according to the "2026 Teens and Screens Report" released by the Center for Scholars & Storytellers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The center began studying the media habits of more than 1,500 Americans in this age group five years ago, and the new report presents a picture of an audience that places nearly equal value on short-form clips and feature-length films.

About four out of five participants said that short clips are capable of telling a story, while TikTok led social platforms at 64.2%. TV series came in at 70.3%, movies at 70.2%, and video games at 68.5%, with cinema remaining the favorite weekend activity for the third consecutive year.

Participants' attitudes toward artificial intelligence were mixed but leaned toward curiosity. 28.2% said they were fascinated by it, and 25.6% were excited, compared to 22% who felt it was doomed and 10.1% who felt fearful. Positive emotions were strongest among the youngest group, aged 10 to 13, where 44.2% described shows addressing AI as fascinating.

A recurring theme in the results was a demand from young people for stories closer to their own lives. 55% wanted more neurodivergent characters on screen, while only 22.7% felt that current portrayals of neurodiversity usually reflect reality. Participants asked for hopeful stories about people overcoming obstacles, friendships, social groups, and lives that resemble their own. Yalda T. Uhls, founder and CEO of the center, said that the gatekeepers have changed, young people are the ones deciding what they want to watch, and industry leaders must listen to them alongside experts.

What do these terms mean?

Short-form content: Videos that usually do not exceed a few minutes, mostly watched on mobile phones, relying on a fast pace and grabbing attention from the very first second.

Neurodiversity: A concept describing natural differences in how the brain functions and interacts with the world, such as autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Gen Z and Gen Alpha: Gen Z refers to those born roughly between 1997 and 2012, while Gen Alpha includes those born afterward; together, they form the younger audience for whom platforms are reshaping their content.