Middle schoolers' new hangout is NPR's comment section
Middle schoolers too young for social media are turning NPR podcast comment sections into group chats, mirroring a similar trend from last year.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Middle schoolers are using NPR podcast comments as group chats
- Audio producer Hannah Chin confirmed the comments are not bots
- A similar trend occurred on TED Radio Hour last year
While parents spend years trying to keep their children away from mainstream social media platforms, some kids have discovered an unexpected alternative hangout: the comment section of NPR.
Screenshots revealed that the comment areas under podcasts are being utilized by young adolescents—who are typically too young for traditional social platforms—to run informal group chats and conversations.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Hannah Chin, an audio producer and Gen Z colleague, examined the screenshots and quickly recognized that these entries were not automated bots, but rather messages left by middle schoolers interacting with one another.
This trend highlights how digitally native youth creatively repurpose unexpected online spaces for peer communication when traditional social networks are restricted. It also poses unique moderation questions for media publishers unaccustomed to hosting youth chat rooms.
As it turns out, this is not an entirely isolated incident; NPR previously spotted young listeners doing the exact same thing on the TED Radio Hour show last year.
Source: TechCrunch
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