Nearly four-in-ten U.S. adults, including about half of those under 30, say they are part of an online community, according to a Pew Research Center study from the Pew-Knight Initiative. While many say these communities are valuable parts of the lives, roughly half of Americans say online relationships aren’t as meaningful as those formed in person.

Most U.S. adults are open to AI handling or helping with administrative tasks in the healthcare field, such as translating for a patient, scheduling appointments, ordering prescription refills and taking notes. This openness to AI drops off for decisions that directly drive diagnoses or insurance decisions.

The share of people who believe social media is bad for democracy has increased significantly since 2022 or 2023 in most countries where trend data is available. Views remain particularly negative in the U.S., where 64% of adults say social media is bad for democracy. That’s unchanged since we last asked four years ago.

A majority of U.S. adults (58%) now say social media is an important way for them to keep up with the news, including 13% who say it’s the most important way. Specific social media sites, such as TikTok and Instagram, have become news destinations for more Americans over the last few years.

Today YouTube and Facebook are the most-widely used online platforms. Explore the demographic patterns and trends shaping the social media landscape.