According to a survey conducted in 2023, Gen Z teens were more likely than other generations to identify as independents in the United States, at 35 percent. A further 27 percent of Gen Z teens identified as Democratic while 22 percent identified as Republicans.

In a 2019 survey, healthcare was considered the most important political issue among Generation Z in the United States, with 74 percent saying that it was very important. Civil rights, the price of education, climate change, and gender equality were also considered to be top political issues.

According to a survey conducted in 2023, 71 percent of Republicans aged 18 to 26 years said that they trusted the police a great deal or quite a lot in the United States while only 23 percent of Independents and 12 percent of Democrats aged 18 to 26 years old shared this belief.

According to a 2023 survey, Americans between 18 and 29 years of age were more likely to identify with the Democratic Party than any other surveyed age group. While 39 percent identified as Democrats, only 14 percent identified ad Republicans. However, those 50 and older identified more with the Republican Party.

According to a survey conducted in 2023, Gen Z adults were most likely to have participated in political activities online in comparison to other generations in the United States. In that year, 36 percent of Gen Z adults in the U.S. said that they have signed an online petition while 32 percent said that they have posted on social media about an issue that matters.

According to a survey conducted in 2023, 15 percent of Gen Z adults in the United States said that they have attended a rally or demonstration compared to eight percent of Millennials and Gen Xers. Gen Z adults were also the most likely generation to volunteer for a group or a cause, at 30 percent.

According to a survey done in 2023, almost nine out of ten Gen Zers in the United States were concerned about the sociopolitical issue of gun control. Additionally, other social-political issues that more than eight-in-ten Gen Zers were concerned about were the lack of affordable healthcare, economic uncertainty, and racism and social injustice.

By 2028, it is estimated that Gen Z and millennial voters will comprise the majority of eligible voters in the United States. In the upcoming 2024 presidential election, Gen Z and millennial voters will make up around 48.5 percent of eligible voters in the country.

A 2023 survey conducted in Indonesia found that about 60 percent of Generation Z respondents claimed to be interested or very interested in politics. Meanwhile, about 40 percent of the survey respondents were uninterested or very uninterested in politics.

According to a 2023 survey, inflation and gas prices were the most important issues for Gen Z and Millennial voters in the United States. Additionally, nearly one-third of voters between 18 and 34 years old considered abortion a top political issue heading into the 2024 election.

A report held in June 2022 among Gen Z and millennials in the United States found that Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter were the most used social media platforms for news about national politics and government, with only a handful using TikTok, Snapchat, or LinkedIn for this purpose. Instagram and Reddit were the most popular choice for 11 and 12 percent of respondents respectively, but Facebook retained its status as the most used network for political news.

In 2022, 89 percent of surveyed Generation Z said that protecting access to clean water and fresh air was important to the kind of America in which they want to live, followed by 88 percent who advocated for the importance of reducing gun violence and mass shootings in America.

A Gen Z perspective

These findings may reflect the fact that Americans have been experiencing a rise in gun-related violence, mass shootings, and climate change concerns in the last few years, at the same time that Gen Z has been aging into adulthood. In addition, Gen Z have had to grow up in midst of political tension following social conflicts such as the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately affecting marginalized groups, race-related protests over police brutality, and a ban on abortion recently implemented in many U.S. states, making it unsurprising that the majority of the generation also promoted the importance of preserving individual rights and freedoms, addressing systemic racism, upholding women’s reproductive rights, and safeguarding the rights of vulnerable populations.

Generational differences

Differing from older generations in the U.S., Gen Z were least likely to identify as Republican, to trust in the government, and to say that they are proud to live in the United States, with only 16 percent of Gen Z being proud to live in the U.S. in comparison to 73 percent of Baby Boomers. Gen Z were also found less likely to have a religious upbringing or have participated in religious services when they were growing up. In addition, they were found more likely to identify as part of the LGBTQ community.

A survey conducted in August 2022 found that Gen Z news consumers most frequently get their news from social media, with 50 percent of respondents reporting they used social networks as their news source on a daily basis. There was a general preference for online news sources rather than offline outlets among Gen Z, with only five percent saying that they read local newspapers every day.
News consumption: Gen Z vs. millennials The same 2022 study showed that whilst there were similarities between news consumption among millennials and Gen Z, there were also stark differences between the two groups. Gen Zers were significantly less likely to listen to the radio or watch television for news, and close to 60 percent said that they never read newspapers. Meanwhile, approximately 20 percent of Millennials reported listening to radio news and 15 percent watched cable or network TV on a daily basis.

Despite these differences, both Gen Z and millennial news audiences both demonstrated a clear preference for using social media to get their news. By contrast, Boomers were the least likely group to use social media for news, generally preferring network news for keeping up to date. Indeed, social networks are not without their problems, with consumers growing concerned about the news they find there. Social media and news Except for podcasts, social media is the least trusted news source in the United States. Fake news circulates there easily as consumers either unknowingly or deliberately share such content, and younger generations, who are the heaviest social media users, are at the highest risk of encountering biased, inaccurate, and untrue stories.

As of 2024, patriotism in the United States varied greatly by age. According to a survey, 21 percent of those between 18 and 34 years of age considered themselves extremely proud to be American. In contrast, about half of respondents 55 and older considered themselves extremely proud to be American. Politics of Generation Z In 2024, the oldest members of Gen Z were turning 27 years old. Their political views have been developed against the backdrop of COVID-19, social unrest and police brutality, Donald Trump, and the global climate crisis. Along with Millennials, they were the most likely to describe themselves as Independent rather than loyal to a particular political party, and the least likely generation to be Republican. Gen Z have lower trust in government than previous generations and are more likely to worry about wages than any other generation. Combined with a decreased purchasing power compared to other generations at similar points in their careers, this perhaps provides insight into Gen Z's reticence when it comes to American exceptionalism. Gen Z as consumers Members of Gen Z are unlike any other bracket of consumers in the United States. Born into a digitized world, they are the most tech-savvy consumers yet. While they are more likely to shop online than any other generation, they are significantly more motivated by their personal values and happy to explore new products. Companies will need to maintain a consistent brand-image to keep Gen Z shoppers on board – given the Zoomers decreased brand loyalty, and increased inclination to buy secondhand products.

A survey released in April 2024 found that over 30 percent of Americans considered a rise of fascism and extremism their largest sociopolitical concern regarding the future of the United States. However, concerns varied by generation, with 17 percent of Gen Z and Millennials considering a lack of values their leading concern, compared to 32 percent of Gen X.

According to a survey conducted in Indonesia in December 2023, social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram were found to be the primary channels of political information among Gen Z, with respondent shares reaching 51 percent for those platforms. Meanwhile, around 43 percent of Gen Z respondents used Youtube as their main channel.

In 2021, based on an online survey conducted in Germany among first-time and young voters, 21 percent of female respondents aged 18 to 29 years stated to be very interested in politics. Among men of the same age group, 44 percent agreed with the same statement. Interest in active involvement in a politcal party was higher among men as well. Around a quarter of male respondents said that they could imagine being active in a politcal party, compared to only 12 percent of women of that age group.

In 2024, around 16 percent of Gen Y or Millennial respondents in Germany supported the Bündnis 90/Die Grüne party. 26 percent of those in Generation X supported the CDU/CSU. The figures are based on a survey conducted in Germany regarding respondents' values and attitude to life.The Allensbach Market and Advertising Media Analysis (Allensbacher Markt- und Werbeträgeranalyse or AWA in German) determines attitudes, consumer habits and media usage of the population in Germany on a broad statistical basis.

According to a 2023 survey, the greatest concern for Millennials and members of Generation Z in Czechia was the cost of living. This was confirmed by 44 percent of millennials and 36 percent of members of Gen Z. Climate change and political instability, including conflicts between countries were other significant issues for both groups.

A 2023 survey conducted in Indonesia found that about 60 percent of young people, encompassing Generation Z and Millennials, claimed to be interested or very interested in politics. Meanwhile, about 40 percent of the survey respondents were uninterested or very uninterested in politics.