Teens rate Facebook their favorite social media sites

There they are: heads down, walking, laughing to themselves as they're glued to the small screen held in their hands.

What are kids these days doing on those smartphones?

Are they busy putting 10 filters on a selfie on Instagram? (Yes.) Has Facebook become too “ancient” to use? (No.) What about Twitter, Youtube, or Snapchat? There's a whole world on that phone, and advertisers want to find out which sites are most popular with emerging consumers.

Niche.com, a site that helps teens choose the right college, surveyed 7,000 high school graduates about their social media habits .

Winner #1: Facebook
Apparently you can ignore the obits being written about Facebook's popularity with young people. The Niche survey found Facebook was the most “like”-able site, having the most teen users of any social media site. A full 61 percent of high school seniors use Facebook every day (while 80 percent of nosy mothers do–kidding! I think. Not that I resemble that remark).

Winner #2: Instagram
Facebook may have the most daily users, but teens spend more time on Instagram, making it the most engaged social media site. Four out of five rate it the place where they hang out the most online. Look, it takes time to enhance selfies or take 500 pictures of the same flower….

Winner #3: Snapchat
Snapchat is the “most addictive” messaging site, partly due to the fact that posts disappear after a few seconds. “Is it all about sexting?” I asked two young men. They looked at me deadpan. “I don't do that,” said one, while his friend added, “I don't even know what that is.”

Winner #4: YouTube
YouTube is the most used site of all. Nearly every teen in the survey, 97 percent, have used YouTube. The other 3 percent must still have dial-up modem Internet service.

What's not popular?
Not every social site is a hit. Only 3 percent of those surveyed have ever checked in on Foursquare, and none use it daily. And perhaps the most surprising loser is LinkedIn. Eight percent, fewer than 1 in 10 high school graduates, have used the resume-sharing website. I see one of two explanations: Either they're going to college, or they like living in Mom's basement, where they can post on Facebook, and she can cyberstalk them.