Picture a high school hallway during lunch break. Heads down, thumbs scrolling, earbuds in. This isn’t boredom, it’s engagement. For Generation Z, social media isn’t just a way to stay connected; it’s how they navigate identity, find entertainment, and even make purchasing decisions. Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z...

As of September 2023, YouTube as the most popular social media platform for global users, with 97 percent of respondents reporting to use the popular video platform. YouTube was also the most popular social media among Gen Z users, with 96 percent of respondents in this age group reporting to have used the video platform as of the examined period. Facebook's usage kept steady among among the general digital population, with around eight in 10 reporting to have used the platform. In comparison, the social media's popularity was in free fall among gen Z users with only four in 10 among those surveyed reporting to engage with the Meta-powered platform.

According to a survey conducted in the United States between July 2023 and June 2024, 65 percent of Generation Z were using Meta's Instagram, and 63 percent were using YouTube. Moreover, 58 percent of Gen Z in the United States were on TikTok, and 56 percent were using Facebook.

As of September 2024 in the United Kingdom, 98 percent of Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2012, were using social media. The same was true for 97 percent of millennials in the country. Overall, 92 percent of Gen X were on social networks, as were 86 percent of Baby boomers.

According to a survey of social media users aged between 16 and 24 years in the United Kingdom, ** percent of respondents used the ********* mobile app daily as of October 2022. Approximately ***** in ** respondents reported using social video app TikTok and YouTube on a daily basis, respectively. New social app app BeReal, which prompts users to post content once per day, was used by less than ***** in ** respondents aged between 16 and 24 years.

Introduction

Gen Z Statistics: Gen Z, iGeneration, or Post-millennials are individuals born between the mid-90s and early 2010s. However, many sources have yet to confirm their dates. This generation experienced growing up entirely in the digital era. Therefore, their behavior, thinking, and habits are different from those of other generations.

Surprisingly, it is easier to find a Gen Z with an internet connection, social media, or smartphone. These recent Gen Z Statistics confirm that these people prefer peace of mind and work-life balance and are more educated compared to other generations. These people are diverse in thinking. Therefore, it is difficult to understand their generations, as they are flexible towards everything.Â

In 2021, messaging and video sharing platform Snapchat was more popular than TikTok among Gen Z users in the United States. TikTok counted around 37 million users who were born between 1997 and 2012, while Instagram reported around 33 million users in the same period. Snapchat, which counted 42 million Gen Z users, is projected to reach 49.5 million users in the examined demographic by 2025. Overall, platforms such as Pinterest, Twitter and Reddit had significantly less users amongst this age group.

According to a global survey, in 2023, more than half of global Gen Z respondents stated that they use social media for brand information, compared to ** percent of them who used search engines. Social media proves to be the more preferred and used channel for brand discovery and information.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in July 2022,**************s of Gen Z adults had used ******* in the past month at least once a day, and ** percent had used the platform at least once a week. For TikTok, ** percent of respondents said they had used the platform every day within the past month. Additionally, ** percent of Gen Z adults said they had not used LinkedIn, and ** percent reported the same for Clubhouse.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in 2025, Millennials made up ** percent of social media users in the country. Overall, Generation Z accounted for ** percent of the United States' social media audience, and Generation X made up ** percent. Additionally, Baby boomers accounted for just **** percent of users.

As of January 2021, 57 percent of 12 to 34 year olds in the United States were using Facebook, this is a decrease of seven percent on the previous year. Overall, 70 percent of those aged between 12 and 34 years were using Instagram, which is a two percent increase from 2020 and a four percent increase since 2019. As of 2021, Pinterest and LinkedIn both steadily increased their user base since 2019 amongst this age group in the United States. TikTok had the largest growth in audience, rising from 25 percent in 2020 to 44 percent in 2021.

Questionnaire as instrument research for research title "Doomscrolling and Information Overload on Generation Z: Examining the Link Between Excessive Digital Media Consumption and Stress Level".

According to a January 2023 study of iOS users in the United States, ** percent of Gen Z users aged between 16 and 25 years used YouTube. Instagram and TikTok followed, with ** percent and ** percent of U.S. Gen Z users, respectively. Communication and VoIP platform Discord was used by ** percent of surveyed U.S. users aged between 16 and 25 years.

A 2023 survey conducted in Indonesia found that more than **** of Generation Z respondents frequently used Instagram. Furthermore, about ** percent of female respondents used TikTok frequently, compared to ** percent of male respondents.

In 2024, some ** percent of Generation Z survey respondents in the United States and the United Kingdom stated that their most valuable social platform for food recommendations was TikTok. Instagram was the second most valuable platform for Generation Z.

As of 2020, ******** was the most popular social media platform among Gen Z and Millennials in the United States to connect to others. ****** and ******* ranked second and third, with respective shares of ** percent and ** percent of respondents using these social networks to connect to others.

According to a survey conducted among Generation Z in Japan in November 2024, more than ** percent of the respondents used YouTube. YouTube was the leading social media platform, ahead of Instagram, X, and TikTok.

In 2024, more than ** percent of global consumers belonging to Generation Z used social media for customer service proposes, while ** percent of Millennials did the same. Moreover, *** out of five Boomers participated in live shopping events on social media platforms.

Social media's influence on Gen Z shopping habits has surged dramatically in recent years. A 2024 survey reveals that ** percent of Gen Z consumers discovered new products or brands through social media influencers, up from ** percent in 2023. This shift underscores the growing importance of digital platforms in shaping consumer behavior, particularly among younger demographics. Beauty and personal care e-commerce growth The rising impact of social media on Gen Z purchasing decisions aligns with broader trends in e-commerce, particularly in the beauty and personal care sector. Global revenue in this market is forecast to increase by ***** percent between 2024 and 2029, reaching a new peak of ****** billion U.S. dollars. This growth trajectory suggests that the digital landscape will continue to play a crucial role in consumer discovery and purchasing habits. Payment preferences among young consumers Traditional payment methods remain popular among Zoomers. A survey across North America, Europe, and Latin America found that debit and credit cards are still preferred by Gen Z for online shopping and travel bookings. However, younger consumers are showing a growing demand for diverse payment options, indicating potential shifts in the e-commerce landscape as digital wallets gain prominence, particularly in Asia-Pacific markets.

Instagram was the most influential social media platform in the buying decisions of European Gen Z shoppers, influencing ** percent of them, according to a 2024 survey.