Kids Turn to Twitter, Shun Facebook 'Drama'

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Teen use of Twitter has grown significantly, a new report into social media networks shows, while Facebook is losing market share to its quick-messaging rival.

Research from the think tank Pew Research Center revealed that 24 percent of online teens use Twitter now, up from 16 percent in 2011.

Of the 802 teens aged 12-17 that were surveyed by Pew, 80 percent said that they used social networking sites and one in four online teens are using Twitter, a social network previously perceived as dominated by adults.

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Conversely, the study by the non-partisan research group reported that teens have become fed up with Facebook, with focus group discussions showing teens' waning enthusiasm for Facebook.

"Teens are now migrating to Twitter in growing numbers, often as a supplement to their Facebook use," Pew reported.

"Twitter draws a far smaller crowd than Facebook for teens, but its use is rising. One in four online teens uses Twitter in some way. While overall use of social networking sites among teens has hovered around 80 percent,Twitter grew in popularity," the Pew report said.

When teens were first asked about their Twitter use in 2009 only 9 percent used it, showing the draw Twitter has achieved as its older rival Facebook starts to "annoy" its young adherents.

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Citing the "drama," stress of managing their online reputation on the network and annoyance when their Facebook friends "share inane details" about their everyday lives, though many are reluctant to leave the network, the study found.

"While Facebook is still deeply integrated in teens' everyday lives, it is sometimes seen as a utility and an obligation rather than an exciting new platform that teens can claim as their own," the report added. "Nevertheless, the site is still where a large amount of socializing takes place, and teens feel they need to stay on Facebook in order to not miss out."

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Concerns over social media's access and use of private data by businesses and advertisers grew among the parents' surveyed, with 81 percent of parents being "very" or "somewhat" concerned, and 46 percent reporting they are "very concerned," about how much advertisers could learn about their child's online activities.

Out of the teens, only 9 percent said they are "very" concerned about third party access to their data.

—By CNBC's Holly Ellyatt. Follow her on Twitter @HollyEllyatt.