Pew: YouTube And Facebook Still Dominate U.S. Social Media.

A new Pew Research Center survey finds that YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the social media landscape in the U.S., even as debates persist about the role of online platforms in public life, including concerns about censorship and youth well-being.

The survey of 5,022 U.S. adults, conducted from Feb. 5 to June 18, 2025, shows that 84% of adults say they use YouTube and 71% use Facebook, making them the most widely used platforms. Half of adults report using Instagram, the only other service that reaches at least 50% of Americans.

Smaller portions of the public use TikTok and WhatsApp, at 37% and 32% respectively, while even fewer say they use Reddit, Snapchat or X, formerly known as Twitter. Three newer platforms — Threads, Bluesky and Truth Social — are used by about one-in-ten adults or fewer. The research also finds that YouTube remains the most widely used online platform among U.S. teens, mirroring its popularity among adults.

Pew’s long-term tracking shows continued growth for TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp and Reddit.

The survey highlights significant age gaps in social media habits. Adults under 30 are far more likely than older Americans to use Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Reddit. “For instance, eight-in-ten adults ages 18 to 29 say they use Instagram,” the report notes, compared with just 19% of those 65 and older. YouTube and Facebook are the only platforms used by a majority in every age group, though the youngest adults remain the most frequent YouTube users. Facebook use peaks among adults ages 30 to 49, 80% of whom say they use the platform.

Differences also emerge across gender, race and ethnicity, education and political affiliation. Women are more likely than men to use Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, with 55% of women saying they use Instagram vs. 44% of men. Men, however, are more likely to use X and Reddit. White adults are less likely than Black, Hispanic and sometimes Asian adults to use platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp. “For instance, 45% of White adults report using Instagram, compared with larger shares among Hispanic (62%), Asian (58%) and Black adults (54%),” the report says.

Education levels correlate with use of some platforms. Adults with a college degree are more likely to use Reddit, WhatsApp and Instagram. With Reddit, “about four-in-ten adults with at least a college degree say they use the platform,” vs. 28% of those with some college and 15% with a high school diploma or less. Those with less formal education are more likely to use TikTok than college graduates.

Political differences also shape platform preferences. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to use WhatsApp, Reddit, TikTok, Bluesky and Threads. Republicans, meanwhile, are more likely to use X and Truth Social. “For instance, 24% of Republicans now report using X, compared with 19% of Democrats,” the survey reports, noting that two years ago Democrats were more likely users.

A separate survey of 5,123 adults conducted from Feb. 24 to March 2, 2025, explored how often Americans visit these platforms. About half say they go on Facebook and YouTube daily, including 37% who visit Facebook several times a day and 33% who do the same on YouTube. Twenty-four percent report using TikTok daily, while 10% say they use X every day.

Daily use also varies sharply by age. Younger adults are much more likely than older Americans to use YouTube and TikTok at least once a day. Roughly half of adults 18 to 29 visit TikTok daily vs. 5% of those 65 and older. The age gap for X is more modest. For Facebook, daily use is highest among adults ages 30 to 49, at 58%, and adults 50 to 64, at 54%.