Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

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Social Media

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Americans’ Use of Social Media in 2026

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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Online Community and Connection in America

Nearly four-in-ten U.S. adults are in an online community. These virtual third spaces can take many forms, like Facebook groups, online video games or fandom forums on Reddit.

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    A New Phase in Our Digital Lives

    The latest biennial survey on news consumption from the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press reveals signs of a new era in the acquisition and consumption of news—and there is reason to expect the shift will accelerate. What is the nature of this new era, and why is it happening? A commentary on the findings by PEJ Director Tom Rosenstiel.

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    Older Adults and Social Media

    Social networking use among internet users ages 50 and older nearly doubled—from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010.

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    The Future of Public Relations

    Lee Rainie discussed the Future of Public Relations with a class of executive management students at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

  • report

    Facebook Privacy and iPhone “Jailbreaking” Engage Social Media Users

    The publication of information gleaned from Facebook profiles of millions of users was the top subject on Twitter last week. And a ruling that it’s okay to hack into the iPhone for new applications gained attention on both blogs and Twitter. On YouTube, slang-speaking teens have provoked millions of clicks for two weeks running.

  • report

    Well Known: Twitter; Little Known: John Roberts

    Overview An overwhelming proportion of Americans are familiar with Twitter, the online information-sharing network. Perhaps more surprisingly, a large majority also knows that children who are born to illegal immigrants in the United States are automatically U.S. citizens. Yet the public continues to struggle in identifying political figures, foreign leaders and even knowing facts about […]

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    Mobile, Social Health at the National Library of Medicine

    Speaking to the senior staff of the National Library of Medicine last week was like going before the best kind of murder board. Our jumping-off point was the Pew Internet Project’s latest research on internet penetration, mobile use, and the socia…

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    The future of social relations

    Most experts surveyed in the latest Pew Internet/Elon University study say social benefits of Internet use far outweigh negatives; some say it robs time, exposes private information, engenders intolerance.

  • presentation

    Four or More: The New Demographic

    This presentation highlights new research on teens, young adults and social media use while also identifying a new leading edge group that deserves the same attention: those who own four or more internet-connected devices.

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    How Media Consumption Has Changed Since 2000

    Consumption of news, information and entertainment has radically changed, and not just online. In this talk, Director Lee Rainie presents the latest data and trends.

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