How much time do people spend on social media? As of 2025, the average daily social media usage of internet users worldwide amounted to 141 minutes per day, down from 143 minutes in the previous year. Currently, the country with the most time spent on social media per day is Brazil, with online users spending an average of 3 hours and 49 minutes on social media each day. In comparison, the daily time spent with social media in the U.S. was just 2 hours and 16 minutes. Global social media usageCurrently, the global social network penetration rate is 62.3 percent. Northern Europe had an 81.7 percent social media penetration rate, topping the ranking of global social media usage by region. Eastern and Middle Africa closed the ranking with 10.1 and 9.6 percent usage reach, respectively. People access social media for a variety of reasons. Users like to find funny or entertaining content and enjoy sharing photos and videos with friends, but mainly use social media to stay in touch with current events friends. Global impact of social mediaSocial media has a wide-reaching and significant impact on not only online activities but also offline behavior and life in general. During a global online user survey in February 2019, a significant share of respondents stated that social media had increased their access to information, ease of communication, and freedom of expression. On the flip side, respondents also felt that social media had worsened their personal privacy, increased a polarization in politics and heightened everyday distractions.

Gen Z and Millennials are the biggest social media users of all age groups.

Today the average time spent on social media is 2 hours and 24 minutes today for people aged 16 to 64.

In February 2024, adults in the United States aged between 18 and 24, spent 186 minutes per day engaging with social media platforms. In comparison, respondents aged 65 and older dedicated approximately 102 minutes of their day to social media. TikTok was the most engaging social media platform for U.S. consumers aged between 18 and 24 years. The popular video was also the most engaging among users aged 35 and 54 years, commanding between 45 and 50 minutes of users' daily attention. Respondents aged between 55 and 65, reported to spending between 45 minutes daily on Facebook.

The results might surprise you when looking at internet users that are active on social media in each country.

Cristiano Ronaldo has one of the most popular Instagram accounts as of April 2024.

              The Portuguese footballer is the most-followed person on the photo sharing app platform with 628 million followers. Instagram's own account was ranked first with roughly 672 million followers.

              How popular is Instagram?

              Instagram is a photo-sharing social networking service that enables users to take pictures and edit them with filters. The platform allows users to post and share their images online and directly with their friends and followers on the social network. The cross-platform app reached one billion monthly active users in mid-2018. In 2020, there were over 114 million Instagram users in the United States and experts project this figure to surpass 127 million users in 2023.

              Who uses Instagram?

              Instagram audiences are predominantly young – recent data states that almost 60 percent of U.S. Instagram users are aged 34 years or younger. Fall 2020 data reveals that Instagram is also one of the most popular social media for teens and one of the social networks with the biggest reach among teens in the United States.

              Celebrity influencers on Instagram
              Many celebrities and athletes are brand spokespeople and generate additional income with social media advertising and sponsored content. Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo ranked first again, as the average media value of one of his Instagram posts was 985,441 U.S. dollars.

56.8% of the world’s total population is active on social media.

As of April 2024, around 16.5 percent of global active Instagram users were men between the ages of 18 and 24 years. More than half of the global Instagram population worldwide was aged 34 years or younger.

              Teens and social media

              As one of the biggest social networks worldwide, Instagram is especially popular with teenagers. As of fall 2020, the photo-sharing app ranked third in terms of preferred social network among teenagers in the United States, second to Snapchat and TikTok. Instagram was one of the most influential advertising channels among female Gen Z users when making purchasing decisions. Teens report feeling more confident, popular, and better about themselves when using social media, and less lonely, depressed and anxious.
              Social media can have negative effects on teens, which is also much more pronounced on those with low emotional well-being. It was found that 35 percent of teenagers with low social-emotional well-being reported to have experienced cyber bullying when using social media, while in comparison only five percent of teenagers with high social-emotional well-being stated the same. As such, social media can have a big impact on already fragile states of mind.

The average person has 8-9 social media accounts. This has doubled since 2013, when the average person just had 4-5 accounts.

In this post, I'll give you all the social media addiction statistics you need to be aware of to moderate your social media use.

The number of Instagram users in the United Kingdom was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2028 by in total 2.1 million users (+7.02 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the Instagram user base is estimated to reach 32 million users and therefore a new peak in 2028. Notably, the number of Instagram users of was continuously increasing over the past years.User figures, shown here with regards to the platform instagram, have been estimated by taking into account company filings or press material, secondary research, app downloads and traffic data. They refer to the average monthly active users over the period and count multiple accounts by persons only once.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

Regional use of social media has a significant effect on the male and female social media statistics.

Teenagers are the 2nd largest group of people affected by social media addiction. Teens ages 13 to 18 years old spend a significant amount of their free time on social media with an average of 3 hours a day.

Facebook and YouTube are still the most used social media platforms today.

WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube ranked as the most popular social media for Dutch Millennials or 20-to-39-year-olds in 2020, beating, for example, Instagram. In 2020, roughly 90 percent of the Millennial respondents in the Netherlands said they used WhatsApp. Facebook was also popular, with 82 percent indicating they actively used this platform. Both social networks had over ten million users in the country, of which 9.1 million were daily users for WhatsApp and 6.8 million for Facebook.

Millennials are less active on Facebook

Despite that Facebook ranks as the second-most popular social media platform, the Silicon Valley application experienced upheaval in the Netherlands. In a different question asked by the source, 57 percent of the Millennials agreed with a statement that said they spent less time on Facebook than they used to. Privacy concerns were one possible explanation for this. Some respondents also mentioned, though, that the platform had become too time-consuming and would rather spend it on “real life” activities.

Instagram and Snapchat a gateway to Generation Z, not Millennials

Are Dutch Millennials leaving Facebook then for other social networks, such as Instagram or Snapchat? The ranking provided here does to indicate that the 23-to-37-year-olds are part of the user base of the two photo apps. Data looking at the growing penetration rate of the two platforms by different age groups in the Netherlands confirms this. This same data does mention, though, that consumers aged 15-19 used the apps a lot more. Between 2015 and 2018, Instagram’s penetration rate among Generation Z increased by roughly 25 percentage points whilst the youngest generation was the first in the Netherlands to use Snapchat.

The results of which gender uses which platforms are in.

90% of people aged 18-29 use social media in some form. 15% of people aged 23-38 admit that they are addicted to social media.

Social Networking Services Market Outlook

The global social networking services market size was valued at approximately USD 192 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach an impressive USD 325 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 5.8% during the forecast period. This growth trajectory is supported by the increasing penetration of the internet, the proliferation of smartphones, and the ever-evolving digital landscape, which together drive the integration of social networking services into daily life across the globe. The social networking services market is witnessing robust growth, as these platforms continue to redefine communication, transform marketing strategies, and influence societal norms. As more people seek digital connectivity and content sharing, the demand for innovative and engaging social networking solutions continues to rise, propelling the market forward.

One of the key growth factors for the social networking services market is the widespread adoption of smartphones and the increasing accessibility of high-speed internet. As smartphones become more affordable and internet connectivity improves, particularly in emerging economies, the number of social network users continues to expand. This trend has led to a surge in the creation and consumption of content, with users increasingly engaging with multimedia posts, videos, and live streams. Additionally, social networking services have become essential tools for personal expression, brand promotion, and community building, further fueling their popularity and market penetration. The rise of Generation Z and Millennials, who are digital natives, has also significantly contributed to the growth of social networking platforms, as these demographics are more inclined to use social media as a primary means of communication and entertainment.

Another driving factor is the shift in marketing strategies towards digital and social media channels. Businesses and brands are leveraging social networking services to connect with their target audiences more effectively, enabling personalized marketing campaigns and real-time customer engagement. Social media platforms offer unparalleled opportunities for businesses to understand consumer behavior, preferences, and trends through data analytics and insights. As a result, companies are increasing their advertising spend on social networking services to enhance brand visibility, drive traffic, and boost sales. This commercial use of social networks is anticipated to contribute significantly to the market's growth, as businesses continue to seek innovative ways to engage customers and stay competitive in the digital age.

Moreover, the continuous innovation and integration of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality into social networking platforms are creating new avenues for user engagement and interaction. These technologies are enhancing the user experience by offering immersive features, personalized recommendations, and interactive content. For instance, AI-driven algorithms help curate content based on user preferences, while AR and VR are being used to create engaging and immersive experiences, such as virtual try-ons and 3D product demonstrations. Such technological advancements are not only attracting new users but also increasing the time spent on social platforms, thereby boosting user retention and platform monetization.

The emergence of Anonymous Social Networking Software has introduced a new dimension to the social networking landscape. These platforms prioritize user privacy and anonymity, allowing individuals to share thoughts and ideas without revealing their identities. This approach caters to users who value privacy and wish to engage in open discussions without the fear of judgment or repercussions. Anonymous social networking software provides a unique space for users to express themselves freely, fostering a sense of community and trust among participants. As concerns over data privacy and security continue to rise, these platforms are gaining traction, offering an alternative to traditional social networks where personal information is often shared and monetized. The growing interest in anonymity reflects a broader trend towards privacy-focused digital interactions, highlighting the need for secure and confidential communication channels in the digital age.

From a regional perspective, the social networking services market exhibits diverse growth patterns across different geographies. North Ame

Over 210 million people worldwide suffer from social media addiction.

Data from a survey held in August 2022 in the United States revealed that the most popular news source among millennials was social media, with 45 percent of respondents reporting daily news consumption on social networks. This was more than double the share who got their news via radio. When it comes to trust, though, social media does not fare well.

Social media and news consumption

As adults of all ages spend more and more time on social media, news consumption via this avenue is likely to increase, but something which could affect this trend is the lack of trust in the news consumers encounter on social platforms. Although now the preferred option for younger audiences, social networks are among the least trusted news sources in the United States, and concerns about fake news remain prevalent.

Young audiences and fake news

Inaccurate news is a major problem which worsened during the 2016 and 2020 presidential election campaigns and the COVID-19 pandemic. A global study found that most Gen Z and Millennial news consumers ignored fake coronavirus news on social media, but almost 20 percent interacted with such posts in the comments section, and over seven percent shared the content. Younger news consumers in the United States were also the most likely to report feeling overwhelmed by COVID-19 news. As younger audiences were the most likely to get their updates on the outbreak via social media, this also made them the most susceptible to fake news, and younger generations are also the most prone to ‘doomscrolling’, an addictive act where the reader pursues and digests multiple negative or upsetting news articles in one sitting.