Social Media Seen as Mostly Good for Democracy Across Many Nations, But U.S. is a Major Outlier
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
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For shopping, phones are common and influencers have become a factor – especially for young adults
Social media is an important tool for consumers, with some Americans – particularly younger adults – turning to influencer recommendations.
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Share of those 65 and older who are tech users has grown in the past decade
Adoption of key technologies by those in the oldest age group has grown markedly since about a decade ago.
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Americans with disabilities less likely than those without to own some digital devices
The digital divide between Americans who have a disability and Americans who do not remains for some devices.
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Some digital divides persist between rural, urban and suburban America
Rural adults are less likely than suburban adults to have home broadband and less likely than urban adults to own a smartphone, tablet or computer.
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Home broadband adoption, computer ownership vary by race, ethnicity in the U.S.
Black and Hispanic Americans remain less likely than White adults to say they own a traditional computer or have high-speed internet at home.
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Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2021
Smartphone ownership and home broadband adoption are up slightly since 2019. And 30% of Americans say they at least sometimes experience problems connecting to the internet at home.
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About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online
The share of U.S. adults who now report that they go online “almost constantly” has risen to 31%, up from 21% in 2015.
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Online harassment occurs most often on social media, but strikes in other places, too
Three-quarters of U.S. adults who have recently faced some kind of online harassment say it happened on social media.
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More than eight-in-ten Americans get news from digital devices
More than eight-in-ten U.S. adults say they get news from a smartphone, computer or tablet “often” or “sometimes.”
