State of the Georgia Girl Report

Digital Media Benefits A full picture of digital wellness requires naming what girls gain from digital life, not only what they lose. For many Georgia girls, particularly those in rural counties, in under-resourced schools, or in communities without local access to specialized services, digital access is the mechanism that delivers what proximity does not. She uses her phone to research colleges her family has not visited, to find scholarship programs and application deadlines, and to connect with communities of interest that are simply not present in her physical geography.

For girls whose identities are underrepresented in their local environments, including LGBTQ+ girls, girls of color in majority-white schools, and girls with disabilities, online communities provide a validated sense of belonging and access to peer support that has documented protective effects on mental health. Digital tools deliver educational content, career exposure, and civic-participation opportunities at a scale unavailable to any prior generation.

of teen girls of color encounter identity affirming content on social media. Common Sense Media, Teens and Mental Health: How Girls Really Feel About Social Media, 2023. 71%

DIGITAL WELLNESS OF GEORGIA GIRLS

A multitude of outcomes from the use of digital devices and social media have been reported by researchers and first-person from girls themselves.

of Black girls use YouTube to explore interests or learn new things 1 51%

of girls find AI to be more helpful with homework than their parents 2 41%

of teen girls report using social media to show their creative side 3 68%

of Hispanic girls use Instagram to take action on issues she cares about 1 38%

of teen girls find people to support them through tough times on social media 3 57%

1 Common Sense Media, 2023 | 2 Girl Scouts of the USA, 2026 | 3 Pew Research Center, 2025

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THE 2026 STATE OF THE GEORGIA GIRL REPORT