5 facts about Americans and YouTube
Here are five key findings about YouTube from our research to mark its 20th anniversary.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Social Media
No consensus on who comes to mind when Americans are asked to name a news influencer
In an open-ended question, we asked U.S. adults who say they regularly get news from news influencers to name the first one who comes to mind for them.
What we know about TikTok content creators
On TikTok, Americans often follow people who have a strong social media presence. These creator accounts make up about half of all accounts that U.S. users follow.
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America’s News Influencers
This study explores the makeup of the social media news influencer universe, including who they are, what content they create and who their audiences are.
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Social Media Fact Sheet
Today YouTube and Facebook are the most-widely used online platforms. Explore the demographic patterns and trends shaping the social media landscape.
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Who U.S. Adults Follow on TikTok
American TikTok users follow far more pop culture and entertainment accounts than news and politics ones.
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More Americans – especially young adults – are regularly getting news on TikTok
The share of adults who say they regularly get news from TikTok has grown about fivefold since 2020, from 3% to 17% in 2024.
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Support for a U.S. TikTok ban continues to decline, and half of adults doubt it will happen
The share of Americans who support the U.S. government banning TikTok now stands at 32%, down from 38% in fall 2023 and 50% in March 2023.
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Many Israelis say social media content about the Israel-Hamas war should be censored
Most Israeli adults do not post or share about political and social issues online – including the war between Israel and Hamas.
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About half of TikTok users under 30 say they use it to keep up with politics, news
TikTok users under 30 see its impact on democracy more positively than older users, with 45% of this group saying it’s mostly good for American democracy.
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How Americans Navigate Politics on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram
X stands out as a place people go to keep up with politics. Still, some users see political posts on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, too.
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How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram
X is still more of a news destination than these other platforms, but the vast majority of users on all four see news-related content.
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WhatsApp and Facebook dominate the social media landscape in middle-income nations
Across eight countries surveyed in Latin America, Africa and South Asia, a median of 73% of adults say they use WhatsApp and 62% say they use Facebook.
