When Reality Does Not Meet Expectations: What Sexual Minority Assigned-Male-at-Birth Adolescents Learn from Using Geosocial Networking Apps

Use of geosocial networking (GSN) apps for romantic and sexual purposes in sexual minority assigned-male-at-birth (SM-AMAB) adolescents is increasingly common. Understanding their app use experiences and perspectives can help inform sex education. Guided by the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT), this mixed-methods study examined SM-AMAB adolescents’ initial expectations of GSN apps (“gratifications sought”), whether their experience matched their expectations (“gratifications obtained”), attitudes toward GSN apps, and lessons learned from app use. Participants were 218 SM-AMAB adolescents (aged 15–18; 94% cisgender men) in the United States who had used GSN apps in the past. The most cited gratifications sought were sex, romance, friendship, and a combination of those. Adolescents tended to report negative or unfulfilled experiences (unobtained gratifications) from GSN apps. However, those who expected sex (vs. love or friendship) were more likely to obtain gratifications, and those who obtained gratifications tend to perceive the apps as more helpful. Regardless of whether they obtained gratifications, participants reported learning useful lessons, particularly safety-related skills. They also reported acquiring interpersonal skills and a better understanding of online relationships, the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community, and their sexuality. The findings have important developmental and health implications for educators and stakeholders working with SM-AMAB adolescents.