Parents, social media may not be that bad for your teen after all.

According to a new study, conducted online in January by Harris Interactive, more than half of teens (55%) say social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have made them more aware of the needs of others. This is a huge increase from 2011 when a little more 4 in 10 (44%) said their use of social media made them more aware. The study also says 2 in 3 teens (68%) agree that the benefits of social media outweigh the risks.

According to the study, more than nine out of ten (91%) agree that it’s important to volunteer locally.

“The jump in the number of teens who say social media sites make them more socially aware is a sign of the times,” says Regina Corson, Senior Vice President, Harris Poll, Public Relations and Youth Research at Harris Interactive.

Social media has put news of events like Arab Spring, #Occupy protests, the tsunami in Japan, and other such events at teens’ fingertips like never before. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube bring global news into living rooms and onto smartphones for teens.

Even the advent of pinboard sites like Pinterest have brought about new ways to see events around the globe. Pinterest Spawning Look-Alikes, Competitors, Porn” target=”_blank”>Pinterest-clone website Lulu Live allows for an easy way to see pictures and video of Arab Spring protests.

Here is an interesting take on how much social media and technology contributed to the protests in Arab Spring.