New Research Finds America's Top Social Media Sites: YouTube (84%) Facebook (71%), Instagram (50%) (pewresearch.org) 84
Pew Research surveyed 5,022 Americans this year (between February 5 and June 18), asking them
"do you ever use" YouTube, Facebook, and nine of the other top social media platforms. The results?
An announcement from Pew Research adds some trends and demographics: The Center has long tracked use of many of these platforms. Over the past few years, four of them have grown in overall use among U.S. adults — TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reddit. 37% of U.S. adults report using TikTok, which is slightly up from last year and up from 21% in 2021. Half of U.S. adults now report using Instagram, which is on par with last year but up from 40% in 2021. About a third say they use WhatsApp, up from 23% in 2021. And 26% today report using Reddit, compared with 18% four years ago.
While YouTube and Facebook continue to sit at the top, the shares of Americans who report using them have remained relatively stable in recent years... YouTube and Facebook are the only sites asked about that a majority in all age groups use, though for YouTube, the youngest adults are still the most likely to do so. This differs from Facebook, where 30- to 49-year-olds most commonly say they use it (80%).
Other interesting statistics:
| YouTube | 84% |
| 71% | |
| 50% | |
| TikTok | 37% |
| 32% | |
| 26% | |
| Snapchat | 25% |
| X.com (formerly Twitter) | 21% |
| Threads | 8% |
| Bluesky | 4% |
| Truth Social | 3% |
An announcement from Pew Research adds some trends and demographics: The Center has long tracked use of many of these platforms. Over the past few years, four of them have grown in overall use among U.S. adults — TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reddit. 37% of U.S. adults report using TikTok, which is slightly up from last year and up from 21% in 2021. Half of U.S. adults now report using Instagram, which is on par with last year but up from 40% in 2021. About a third say they use WhatsApp, up from 23% in 2021. And 26% today report using Reddit, compared with 18% four years ago.
While YouTube and Facebook continue to sit at the top, the shares of Americans who report using them have remained relatively stable in recent years... YouTube and Facebook are the only sites asked about that a majority in all age groups use, though for YouTube, the youngest adults are still the most likely to do so. This differs from Facebook, where 30- to 49-year-olds most commonly say they use it (80%).
Other interesting statistics:
- "More than half of women report using Instagram (55%), compared with under half of men (44%). Alternatively, men are more likely to report using platforms such as X and Reddit."
- "Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely to report using WhatsApp, Reddit, TikTok, Bluesky and Threads."
Might does not make right, but... (Score:2)
YouTube at the top? Followed by Facebook? It's like a ranking of the worst in the world, though I'm surprised how quickly it tapers down.
Profits are right and might makes right, so might equals profits? Where does the 500-pound google gorilla sleep? With the fishes, but only if it wants to?
So much for the attempted humor. I'm innocent, I say. It's like attempted murder, right?
In conclusion, right doesn't make right, but the "winners" write the history books and they always write that they were right. Infini
WhatsApp? (Score:5, Insightful)
I know you can post statuses, but counting WhatsApp as social media is a stretch. It's mainly used for one to one or group communication, not social media.
Re:WhatsApp? (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd say the same for YouTube. It's used to watch videos. The number of people who comment on them is minimal compared to the userbase. I'd be very curious to the exact definition of "social media" they use is. I don't think it's what most people consider to be social media.
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The fall of erstwhile-twitter is quite stunning.
Re:WhatsApp? (Score:4, Insightful)
Another problem is the ambiguity of "use", which is let to the respondents. Is occasionally viewing a video "using" Youtube? Or would it require logging in / commenting / using "like" features / letting the Youtube algorithm choose the next video?
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How many TikTok "users" are completely passive, never posting and only viewing / listening? I'm guessing most of them.
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Some people do regular livestreams and chats to interact with fans. That’s edging more towards social media but it’s still a stretch.
Re:WhatsApp? (Score:5, Insightful)
>"I'd say the same for YouTube. It's used to watch videos. The number of people who comment on them is minimal compared to the userbase."
That is exactly what I came to post. I use YouTube all the time. I have *never* logged into it. So for tons of people, it is not "social media".
Facebook, on the other hand, is mostly useless without a login. You can see a bit of it, then it stops.
>"I'd be very curious to the exact definition of "social media" they use is. I don't think it's what most people consider to be social media."
Bingo. Plays right into my comments last week about the stupid Virginia law trying to force "age checking" for "social media" and they don't even define what "social media" is or is not. As if everyone knows exactly what it is. Yet, somehow, stripping adults of their privacy and rights will save children (since parents refuse to restrict or withhold internet-connected devices from their children).
Is Slashdot "social media"? How about my local LUG's forum? What about the comments section on Amazon or Walmart product pages? Or reviews of apps on Google Play? A USENET group? Chat sessions in online games? If just watching videos is "social media" does that make broadcast TV or cable TV or a movie theater "social media"?
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>"We are clearly different then. I always log in, but i have a major incentive due to wanting to squash ads with youtube premium
There are other options. I also have no ads.
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Facebook, on the other hand, is mostly useless
There, fixed that for you.
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Those exist, but divide the view count by number of comments. It will show for the most part thousands of views per comment. That means most people aren't using the social part. I've yet to ever write a youtube comment, but I use it daily. So if you asked me if I use YouTube you'd get a yes, but it's not social media for me. If you limit it to those who read/write comments it would be fair, but I'm not sure they did that.
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It will show for the most part thousands of views per comment. That means most people aren't using the social part.
Yes that indicates most people who view don't write comments, but if a lot of people read through comments when watching a video then that's part of the media experience and they're maybe influenced by that.
If 500 people show up to a town hall event and only 20 speak, many of the others are still presumably engaged. I'd still call that "social."
Or another angle, if someone spends an hour every day on facebook but only posts content of their own every week or so, how much of their time should we say they're
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YouTube is somewhat different: you have a feed of content from random sources, based on what total strangers recommended, you can like random content and you can comment on random content. Also, you can share from YouTube to outside of it. You don't do those on WhatsApp.
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"Social Media" was always a catch-all dumping ground of a phrase. It started to be used by traditional media to describe "Twitter, Facebook, and whatever else you use that we don't understand," and continues on that trend. The fact that Pew Research counts WhatsApp as social media means nothing.
Mastodon is missing. (Score:2)
Re:Mastodon is missing. (Score:5, Funny)
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They tried to include it but the number was statistically insignificant.
Which is a good thing - keeps all the influencers and other weirdos out, making it far more useful.
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Re: Mastodon is missing. (Score:3)
Re: Mastodon is missing. (Score:2)
LinkedIn is missing. (Score:5, Informative)
What? (Score:2)
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Anything "online" that collects users, allows reactions and comments and algorithmically peddles ads, including paid fake news is a "soshul media" these days.
Some missing (Score:2)
Did anyone find AOL on that list?
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Did anyone find AOL on that list?
Yes, in the list from 2002.
Re: Grindr (Score:2)
TikTok? (Score:4)
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Gen Z is only a small portion of the internet-using population. Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials haven't hung up their keyboards and are on other platforms Gen Z considers "dead". Plus Gen Z prefers user-generated content to traditional streaming services [variety.com] so they are also using YouTube along with their older peers that may not "get" the short-runtime Tiktok vid. So YouTube as higher viewership overall.
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Daily usage for age range 18-29: Tiktok 63%, Instagram 80%, Youtube 95%. Your observation means: the 63% of young people using TikTok spend hours on this addictive platform, while the 80% using Instagram only take a quick peek (e.g. to post a lunch picture).
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It turns out they aren't quite as bad at the Boomers and their Facebook.
Looking at the top sites, it's
Cat videos
Russian propaganda
Soft porn
5 second attention span
I like how Twitter has falling so far down the rankings now.
Slashot (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
How long do you have to hold the Planck position for it to be a unit?
Also in social media news (Score:1)
"X rolls out feature that shows users' country of origin - then suddenly removes it"
https://mashable.com/article/e... [mashable.com]
It appears much of X's content is click-farming, often from areas where the X engagement payout is still a significant income.
https://bsky.app/profile/donmu... [bsky.app]
Where's Sora? (Score:3)
I thought that Gen Z was mostly communicating with each other now using AI generated memes of dead actors who can't sue to get their likeness taken off the the platform.
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AI generated memes of dead actors who can't sue to get their likeness taken off the the platform
Any actor popular enough that Gen Z wants to pretend to be them doesn't die. Their physical body might cease but their estate will continue for at least two more generations as their progeny fight for more money they didn't earn.
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Have you tried their new mobile app? It has definite social network vibes. You can like videos, leave messages, friend creators, and remix their videos.
It kinda reminds me of YTMND from my youth. Socialization for memelords.
Re: Numbers dont lie (Score:1)
Re: Numbers dont lie (Score:2)
If it is any consolation, I am still laughing at "its smooth brain population of willfully ignorant maga derps". :-)
Re: Numbers dont lie (Score:2)
Comforting... (Score:2, Insightful)
I find it actually comforting that Truth Social is only at 3%. As an outsider, it's hard to tell just how large a base the truly rabid crazies have. DT seems to only make announcements there, and he pushed it pretty hard, so to see it only has a 3% uptake makes me have more genuine hope for my southern neighbour than I have had in a long time.
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The study shows typical Truth Social user is 50+ y.o. from rural area. Nothing surprising, but it's pretty much the opposite of every other platform considered, where typical user is young and urban.
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At 3% uptake, this doesn't surprise me about TS's user demographic. We all know that in the USA there is a direct correlation between distance from civilization and odds of being a rabid republican. What pleasantly surprised me was how low the Truth Social (read Kool Aid) uptake was among even the 50-ish percent that voted for him.
I still believe there will be a coup attempt at the end of his term. Or rather, a more serious one than last time. Rising possibly to the level of a short civil war (depending
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You don't see me posting random nonsense about whatever cave you came from.
Well, I can't know that, can I? All I can see is the "by Anonymous Coward" you're hiding behind.
I'm guessing you've seen A4's "Civil War" multiple times
But to answer your allegation anyway, no, I haven't watched it. It's a little too close to home. There is a child prone to tantrums that was given the button to nuclear weapons parked just south of me. You'll forgive me if I exercise a modicum of "head in the sand" and not watch a movie depicting what I am genuinely worried about.
"distance from civilization"
You, sir, are a moron.
Ah. So I take it that comment hit the mark. Right on both counts? (far from ci
Had a Youtube account years ago. (Score:2)
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youtube logs you in automatically if you got your chrome profile set up and are a hopeless slave to google! I think a lot of people have that going.
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And where is Slashdot?
It's just below IRC and just above Usenet.
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And where is Slashdot?
Right in front of you!
didn't think tiktok was that high (Score:1)
My group wasn't represented! (Score:2)
Why wasn't slashdot in that poll?
Re: My group wasn't represented! (Score:2)
YouTube is NOT a social media site....nope (Score:2)
Netcraft confirms : social media sucks (Score:2)
EOM
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You forgot the percentage of paid Russian trolls, as per the news stories over the weekend.
bluesky (Score:2)
The Bluesky number is quite surprising. It seems there are far fewer than we had thought of blue-hairs.
I thought Facebook was dead? (Score:2)