Teenagers hate social media. They also hate attempts to take it away.

In Manhattan, a college freshman said he’s trying to scroll through TikTok less, but wondered if age restrictions on social media use could ever effectively stop tech-savvy teens.

Another Queens senior said social media is essential for socializing, but lamented its transformation from a pleasurable activity to an obligation.

And outside a Brooklyn high school, a sophomore said he despises the addictive power of social media and how it “manipulates our reward centers.” Still, he did not believe legal restrictions were appropriate.

The teens’ reactions came hours after the US surgeon general’s warning on Tuesday that social media could pose a “profound risk” to young people’s mental health and well-being.

The warning gave new fuel to a pitched national conversation about the effects of social media use on children and teens — and how policymakers, tech companies and families should step in to mitigate it. That’s what the Biden administration said on Tuesday set up a task force to study the consequences and make recommendations.

But in the largest school system in the country, interviews with more than a dozen teens revealed a nuanced view of social media and the complex ways they grapple with its ubiquitous presence. (Some of the students’ last names are withheld because of their age.)

“I actually hate it,” says Jack Brown, 15, a sophomore at Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene. “I could rant all day about why I don’t like social media and why I think it’s one of the biggest cancers of our generation.”

Still, he added, “I just don’t think the government should have that kind of regulation over our own social lives.”

The Surgeon General’s report came at a time of intense public pressure on social media companies to rein in the way adolescents — and younger children in particular — use platforms. Nearly 40 percent of kids ages 8 to 12 use social media, some studies show, though most platforms require a higher minimum age.

In recent years, a growing number of states have entered the fray, pass laws to obtain parental consent before using social media. In Washington And California, some school districts have even sued top platforms, arguing that their content harms youth. And as teachers grapple with a youth mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic, some experts question whether social media is compounding the challenges.

But on Tuesday, many teens said social media would be almost inseparable from their lives.

“Social media is just a must-have in our generation,” says Adelina Zaripova, 15, a Staten Island sophomore attending Brooklyn Tech.

She added that she finds the intense political focus on young people’s use of social media “quite funny.”

“Like, I know my grandma spends her days on her phone watching funny cat videos on TikTok,” Adelina said.

Many also questioned whether adults understand the potential benefits.

A college freshman in Brooklyn, Bushwick, said his passion for cars came from scrolling Instagram, for example. Another junior said social media helped her apply for college.

And two high school students said TikTok helped open their eyes to the lives of others and improve their Spanish skills. Yet they admitted that their experiences were not always positive.

Daurelis, a student at Philippa Schuyler Middle School, said she is often followed online by “creeps” after posting makeup tutorials on TikTok. And recently, her self-esteem was damaged after a struggle with cyberbullying, she said.

“I was called names,” said Daurelis, who is 13. “They said a lot of hurtful things.”

“There is always discrimination and racism on social media,” her classmate Charlize (13) explained.

The surgeon general on Tuesday implored policymakers and technology companies to “take urgent action” to protect against those online risks. Some teens said the message reflected what they had already asked for.

For example, Sadathi Hettiarachchige, 15, recently wrote an opinion column in her school newspaper calling for a stricter age limit on Instagram. Sadathi, a freshman at Brooklyn Tech, said she and her friends recently found themselves “staring in the mirror” — scrutinizing their looks.

“And I realize it,” she said. “And I’m like, ‘Stop!'”

As some states want Utah And Arkansas tighter restrictions on social media, some experts — and teens — are wondering if the new laws will have the intended effects.

“We’re in a bit of trouble here,” said Bradford Suthammanont, 15, a freshman at a high school in midtown Manhattan, who added that tech companies have “zero incentive” to make meaningful changes.

Several young New Yorkers said the best way forward is for families to help kids navigate social media, though they also admitted there are limitations to this option.

Emmanuel, 13, a student at Achievement First North Brooklyn Prep Middle School, said his time online initially worried his immigrant parents, who knew little about popular platforms.

“I really helped them follow my social media so they could trust me,” said Emmanuel.