Social Media Stats to Know in 2023

In 2019, there were 3.5 billion¹ internet users worldwide--45% of the world population. In 2023, that number grew to 4.89 billion². 173 million³ new users have joined since this time last year, and over 9 in 10 internet users now use social media each month.

Social media plays an integral role in shaping the way we connect, communicate, and consume information. 2023's most recent social media statistics reflect the dynamic shifts in user demographics, platform preferences, and trends. These statistics provide a snapshot of the current online realm and offer valuable insights into the direction social media is headed. Exploring the latest social media stats is imperative for individuals and businesses to adapt effectively in today's fast-paced virtual environment.

Which are the most popular social networks by demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)?

• 54% of social media users are female, while the remaining 46% are male (backlinko.com⁴)
• 73% of people 25 and under use Snapchat, and only 3% of those over 65 use it (ourworldindata.org)
• The share of women who use Pinterest is three times as high as that of men (ourworldindata.org)
• 81% of Black teens, 71% of Hispanic teens, and 62% of White teens use TikTok (Pew Research Center)
• 67% of Snapchat news consumers are 18–29, as are 52% of TikTok users and 50% of Reddit users (Pew Research Center)
• 19% of teens say they use YouTube almost constantly, 16% say this about TikTok, and 15% about Snapchat (Pew Research Center)

What social networks are becoming more popular? And which are in decline?

• 1.9 billion users access Facebook daily, a 6.89% increase year-to-year (backlinko.com¹)
• YouTube has 2 billion users (backlinko.com²)
• WhatsApp has added 1 billion new users since 2016, now with over 2 billion in total (backlinko.com³)
• The Pew Research Center's study on teens 13–17 years old and their use of social media revealed:
  • 95% use YouTube
  • 67% use TikTok, and 16% report using it "constantly"
  • 62% use Instagram
  • 59% use Snapchat
  • 23% use Twitter
  • 20% use Twitch
  • 17% use WhatsApp
  • 14% use Reddit
  • 5% use Tumblr

How long does the average person spend on social media per day?

• The world spends close to 12 billion hours using social platforms each day, which is the equivalent of more than 1.35 million years of human existence (Data Reportal)
• In the US, adults spend more than 6 hours daily on digital media (ourworldindata.org)
• The average user spends 2 hours and 26 minutes per day using social media (Data Reportal)
• People spend roughly 15% of their waking lives using social media (Data Reportal)

What is the effect of social media on teens? 

• 46% of parents worry that their child could be exposed to explicit content on social media (Pew Research Center¹)
• 54% of teens say it would be hard to give up social media, while 46% say it would be easy (Pew Research Center¹)
• 97% of teens say they use the internet daily, and 46% say they use it "constantly" (Pew Research Center¹)
• 36% of teens say they spend too much time on social media, while 55% say they spend about the right amount of time (Pew Research Center¹)
• 32% of teens say social media has had a mostly positive effect on them personally, while 24% say it has been positive for other people their age (Pew Research Center¹)
• Positive experiences felt by teens on social media:
  • 80% feel more connected to what is going on in their friends’ lives
  • 71% feel like they have a place where they can show their creative side
  • 67% feel like they have people who can support them through tough times
  • 58% feel that they are more accepted
• Negative experiences felt by teens on social media:
  • 38% of teens say that what they see on social media overwhelms them with drama
  • 31% say it makes them feel left out
  • 29% feel pressure to post content for comments or likes
  • 23% say that what they see on social media makes them feel worse about their own lives
  • 40% of teens say they often or sometimes decide not to post something on social media because they worry people might use it to embarrass them

What are Americans using social media for?

• Today, half of U.S. adults get news at least sometimes from social media (Pew Research Center²)
• 31% of US adults say they regularly get news from Facebook (Pew Research Center²)
• One-in-five U.S. adults say they often get news via social media, 16% do so from print newspapers (Pew Research Center³)
• 34.6% of users use social media to read news stories (Data Reportal)
• 37.3% of users use social media to fill spare time (Data Reportal)
• 48% of users use social media to keep in touch with friends and family (Data Reportal)

Sources

• Backlinko (1, 2, 3, 4)
• Pew Research Center (1, 2, 3)