Pew Research Releases Teen Social Media Habit Report

A new survey from Pew Research sheds light on how U.S. teenagers are engaging with social media, offering insights into the platforms they favor and the time they spend online. The study, which surveyed 1,391 teens aged 13 to 17 and their parents, reveals trends that are particularly relevant as governments explore measures to limit teen screen time.

YouTube remains the dominant platform, with 90% of teens indicating regular use, despite a slight decline from previous years. TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat continue to be the “big three” for social connection among teens, with about six in ten teens reporting regular use of TikTok and Instagram, and 55% using Snapchat. Meanwhile, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter, and often still referred to as such by its teen users) have seen dramatic declines in teen engagement over the past decade.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of teens use YouTube daily, with 15% describing their usage as “almost constant.” TikTok follows closely, with 60% of teens using it daily, and 16% engaging with it almost constantly. Gender differences emerged in the findings, with teen girls more likely to report near-constant TikTok use, while boys favored YouTube. Other apps showed more balanced usage patterns across genders.

Smartphone ownership is near-universal among teens (95%), with gaming consoles (83%) and laptops (88%) also widely accessible. However, access to devices like tablets varies by income, with wealthier teens more likely to have access to these devices.

Racial and ethnic disparities are evident. Hispanic and Black teens are more likely than White teens to use TikTok and YouTube almost constantly. Income also plays a role: teens from lower-income households are more likely to use platforms like Facebook and TikTok than those from higher-income homes.

All of this could be important data for any platforms specifically trying to provide a space for teen users, given the wild difference in how specific demographics can behave on social media. Differences in social media usage and preferences alone could dramatically alter which platforms are most likely to attract which groups of teenage users – and that’s without comparing this report to any other established data about how teens use their social sites.