Social Media Usage and Screen Time Trends

Apr 25, 2025

Global Social Media Usage and Screen Time Trends (2025)

Introduction: Social media has become a near-ubiquitous part of modern life, with over 5 billion people – about 64% of the world’s population – active on social platforms as of 2025 (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). From children and teenagers to middle-aged adults and seniors, every age group is now online in some capacity. However, how people use social media varies widely by age and region. Globally, the typical user spends around 2 hours and 20 minutes per day on social networks (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights), but this screen time can swing from under an hour in some parts of Europe to well over 3 hours in regions like South America (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)). In this data-driven analysis, we’ll explore the latest statistics on social media usage segmented by age group, examine regional differences in screen time and platform preferences, highlight platform-specific trends (from TikTok to Facebook), and look at how usage habits have evolved over the past 5–10 years.

Global Growth: 5+ Billion Users and Rising Screen Time

Social networking has experienced explosive growth in the past decade. In 2015, roughly 2.1 billion people used social media; by 2025 that figure has more than doubled to 5.24 billion users worldwide (Social Network Usage & Growth Statistics (2025)) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). This surge is tied to the proliferation of smartphones and internet access, especially in developing regions. Today, 94% of all internet users are active on at least one social platform (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). Each user is active on many platforms too – on average about 6.8 different social apps per month (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights), reflecting how intertwined social media is with various aspects of life (from messaging to video sharing).

Time spent on social media climbed alongside user growth. A decade ago (circa 2012), people spent an average of only 90 minutes per day on social networks (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). This rose steadily each year, peaking at about 151 minutes (2 hours 31 min) in 2023 (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). Post-pandemic, there has been a slight pullback – the 2024 global average daily social media time was ~143 minutes (2h 23m) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country) – but overall we’re still up ~50% in daily social media screen time compared to a decade ago. In fact, at 2¼ hours per day, social media now accounts for roughly 14% of our waking life (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). Certain platforms drive much of this engagement; for example, TikTok’s meteoric rise since 2018 has led its users to spend over 1 hour per day on the app on average, contributing greatly to recent increases in overall social media usage.

Social Media Usage by Age Group

Age is a major factor in how people engage with social media. Young adults in their 20s are the heaviest users – globally, people aged 20–29 make up nearly one-third (31.8%) of all social media users (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]). The next largest group is adults 30–39 (about 21.9% of users) (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]). In other words, over half of social media users worldwide are under 40. Usage then tapers off with older age brackets: the 40–49 cohort accounts for 15% of users, ages 50–59 about 10%, and seniors 60+ are the smallest group at 8.6% (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]). The chart below illustrates this age distribution clearly:

(What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]) Global Social Media Users by Age Group. Younger adults (20–29) represent the largest share of users worldwide, while the 60+ demographic is the smallest (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]) (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]).

It’s important to note that these percentages represent the share of social media users in each age group, not the share of each age group that uses social media. In terms of adoption rate, younger generations are almost universally online. In many countries, over 90% of teenagers and young adults use social media. By contrast, older adults have lower uptake – for example, in the United States about 84% of 18–29-year-olds are on social media, versus only 45% of those 65 and older (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)). This gap has narrowed over time (a decade ago only ~11% of seniors were social media users (Technology Usage Among Seniors | Seniors Guide Partners)), but a gray divide remains. Seniors tend to be more hesitant or skeptical about social platforms (What Age Group Uses Social Media the Most? [Aug 2023 Update]), whereas younger adults often treat social media as a primary source of information and communication.

Teens and even children are a critical part of the social media landscape as well. Most mainstream platforms officially restrict users under age 13, but that hasn’t kept tech-savvy kids away. Surveys in the U.S. show that 95% of teens (13–17) use YouTube and vast majorities use TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat, while even among tweens (ages 8–12) many have begun engaging with social media content (Social Media Use in 2021 - Pew Research Center). One recent census found American teens now spend over 8.5 hours per day on digital devices (including social apps), and younger tweens spend around 5 hours per day (Using Common Sense: Media Use by Tweens and Teens on the Rise). Globally, the trend is similar – children are getting online earlier, primarily via video platforms (like YouTube Kids) and messaging apps used within families. This raises new questions about healthy screen time, but it’s clear that the under-18 population is deeply immersed in online media. As they come of age, they will continue to shape which platforms thrive.

Regional Differences in Screen Time and Platform Use

Social media usage isn’t uniform around the world. Cultural norms, infrastructure, and local platform availability create distinct regional patterns. Screen time devoted to social media tends to be highest in regions with younger demographics and mobile-centric cultures. For instance, users in the Philippines and Brazil top the charts, averaging over 3½ hours per day on social media (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). In fact, South America as a whole logs the most social networking time – about 3 hours 24 minutes daily on average (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)) – closely followed by Africa at around 3 hours 10 minutes. By contrast, Europe has the lowest social media screen time, with an average of roughly 1 hour 15 minutes per day (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)). North America and Asia-Pacific fall in between, averaging roughly 2–3 hours daily on social platforms (Average Time Spent On Social Media Per Day (2025 Stats)). These are of course averages; within Asia, there’s variance (for example, social media addicts in South-East Asia push regional averages up, whereas Japan sees far lower usage at under 1 hour a day on social media (How Much Screen Time Do People Have Worldwide? (Country Breakdown))).

What drives these differences? In regions like Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, social media (often accessed via smartphone) is the internet for many users – it’s the primary channel for communication, news, and entertainment. This leads to higher daily usage. In Europe and parts of East Asia, internet users have more access to alternative media and perhaps more privacy concerns, leading to relatively lighter social networking use. Notably, countries with the highest social media engagement include Brazil, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Africa, and Kenya, all averaging well over 3 hours per day per user (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). On the flip side, Japan and parts of Western Europe see more moderate use (often under 1.5 hours daily) (How Much Screen Time Do People Have Worldwide? (Country Breakdown)).

Social media penetration (the share of the population using social networks) also varies widely by region. Overall global penetration is about 63% (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), but this ranges from near-saturation in some regions to very low in others. Northern and Western Europe lead the world, with around 80–82% of the total population active on social media (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data) (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data). North America is close behind (~71% usage) (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data). In East Asia about three-quarters of people use social media, thanks to highly connected countries like South Korea and Japan (despite Japan’s lower daily time, its population usage rate is high) (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data). Meanwhile, parts of Africa have single-digit social media penetration – for example, in Eastern and Central Africa only about 9–10% of people use social media (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data). These low rates reflect limited internet access in general. The Middle East (West Asia) and South Asia fall somewhere in the middle, with roughly 30–65% penetration depending on the country (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data). The bar chart below shows a regional breakdown:

(Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data) Social media penetration by region (percentage of population using social networks, 2024). Europe and North America have the highest uptake, while parts of Africa and Central Asia have the lowest (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data) (Social Media Users 2025 (Global Data & Statistics) | Priori Data).

In terms of platform preferences by region, there are striking differences. In North America and Europe, a handful of U.S.-based platforms dominate: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are among the most widely used apps. North Americans also heavily use Snapchat (especially U.S. teens) and LinkedIn (for professionals). WhatsApp – though globally the #1 messaging app – is less popular in the U.S. but is absolutely essential in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and much of Asia for daily communication. In fact, WhatsApp and Facebook are often the top two social platforms by active usage across Latin America and Africa, where they serve as lifelines for messaging, community groups, and small business networking.

Asia-Pacific is home to the world’s largest social media audiences but also its own ecosystems. China, in particular, has over a billion social media users who primarily use domestic platforms: WeChat (1.34 billion MAUs) and Weibo (~600 million MAUs) are hugely popular (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), alongside TikTok’s Chinese version Douyin and apps like QQ. These platforms dominate everyday life in China, whereas Western apps like Facebook or Twitter are blocked. In India and Southeast Asia, American platforms coexist with local favorites. Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp boast hundreds of millions of users in India. But TikTok has also exploded in Southeast Asia – e.g. Indonesia and Malaysia rank among TikTok’s biggest markets, reflecting the region’s young population and affinity for video content. Middle Eastern users gravitate toward visually-rich platforms: Instagram is extremely popular in the Gulf states, and Snapchat has a surprisingly strong user base in places like Saudi Arabia. WhatsApp is also a mainstay across the Middle East for messaging and group chats.

One universal trend is the mobile-first nature of social media everywhere: in most countries, over 95% of social media users access platforms via smartphones (Social Media 2025: Trends, Usage, and Key Statistics). This has facilitated the rise of app-centric networks (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat) even in regions that skipped the desktop internet era. It also means short-form video, mobile messaging, and story-style content have global appeal, crossing regional boundaries.

Platform-Specific Insights by Demographics

Which social platforms are most popular with each age group? The stereotypes are partly true: Gen Z and young millennials tend to favor video-heavy and ephemeral content, while older users stick to the established networks – but there are surprises too.

  • Facebook – With 3.07 billion monthly active users worldwide (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), Facebook remains the largest social network. Its user base is broad, but skews older compared to newer platforms. Young people today are less enamored with Facebook; many teens now view it as a place for parents and grandparents. In the U.S., only ~32% of teens 13–17 use Facebook (Social Media Use in 2021 - Pew Research Center). Globally, Facebook’s strongest age segments are 30–49 year-olds (in the U.S., about 58% of 30–49 use it, and a full 73% of Americans age 50–64 are on Facebook) (Social media use and well-being among older adults). In developing countries, Facebook is still gaining younger users, but the overarching trend is that Facebook is aging up. That said, it’s far from “dead” – across all ages worldwide, Facebook is still cited as a favorite platform by a huge share of users, even among Gen Z (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights) (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). It remains a central hub for community and family connection, especially outside of the youngest cohort.

  • YouTube – At 2.5 billion users (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), YouTube is the world’s second-largest social platform (and top in some rankings). What’s remarkable is its cross-generational appeal. YouTube is the #1 platform for teens in many countries – 95% of U.S. teens use it (Social Media Use in 2021 - Pew Research Center) – but it’s equally popular with older groups for how-to videos, news, and entertainment. Over 80% of adults 50–64 in the U.S. use YouTube (Social media use and well-being among older adults). In regions like Asia and Latin America, YouTube often has penetration rivaling Facebook’s. Its universal content library and low barrier (no account needed to watch) make it a staple across age groups. Every region with internet access has adopted YouTube as a source of video content, which contributes greatly to screen time (many hours of that “social media” time are actually spent watching YouTube videos).

  • Instagram – With 2 billion users globally (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), Instagram is particularly beloved by young adults. Global data shows Instagram is the favorite social platform for internet users aged 16–24 (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights), especially women in that age group (roughly 23% of young women picked Instagram as their favorite, vs ~12% for TikTok) (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). Instagram’s core demographic is 18–34, thriving on its visual-sharing features. However, Instagram has also steadily attracted older users in the past few years – it’s not uncommon now to see parents and even some grandparents on Instagram, often to follow family. Regionally, Instagram is extremely popular in North America, Europe, and the Middle East (e.g. high usage in Gulf countries). In South Asia and Africa, its reach is growing but often limited by data costs (viewing lots of images/videos can be intensive). Still, Instagram ranks among the top four platforms on every continent and continues to grow via features like Reels (its answer to TikTok).

  • TikTok – The breakout star of the past five years, TikTok has about 1.58 billion users as of 2024 (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country) (combined with Douyin in China that number is even higher). TikTok is most popular with Gen Z. The majority of its users are under 30, and it is especially dominant among teens. For example, 67% of U.S. teens use TikTok and 16% say they use it “almost constantly” (Social Media Use in 2021 - Pew Research Center). Globally, TikTok’s usage skews toward Asia (its birthplace) and the West – it took off rapidly in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Notably, Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia and Vietnam rank among the highest for TikTok adoption. Older demographics are slowly embracing TikTok too – you’ll now find plenty of 30- and 40-somethings scrolling TikTok for entertainment, though few would call it their primary network. Interestingly, data shows that even among 16–24 year-olds, Instagram still edges out TikTok as the favorite platform for many, and even Facebook gets a nod from a segment of young men (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights) (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). But TikTok’s influence on youth culture is undeniable, fueling the short-video trend across all platforms.

  • WhatsApp and Messaging Apps – WhatsApp boasts 2 billion users and is the leading social app in terms of message volume (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). It’s fundamental infrastructure in regions like India, Brazil, all of Latin America, the Middle East, and large parts of Europe and Africa. On the other hand, WhatsApp is minimally used in markets like the U.S. where SMS was already entrenched. In terms of age, WhatsApp is truly used by all ages – from teenagers coordinating hangouts to grandparents sharing photos, especially in families. In many developing countries, people might use WhatsApp and Facebook and little else, which is why WhatsApp often ranks second globally as a “favorite” platform across age groups (Is social media really dying? — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights). Other messengers like Telegram (550M+ users) and Facebook Messenger (~1B users) have their niches, but WhatsApp is the juggernaut for interpersonal communication.

  • Snapchat – With around 800 million users (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), Snapchat is highly age-segmented. It is overwhelmingly used by Gen Z and young millennials in Western countries. For example, 59% of U.S. teens use Snapchat, making it one of their top platforms alongside TikTok and Instagram (Social Media Use in 2021 - Pew Research Center). However, Snapchat’s usage drops sharply among older cohorts (almost negligible for 40+). Regionally, Snapchat’s core market is North America and Europe; it’s less popular in Asia-Pacific and Africa, although it has gained traction in the Middle East (where features like AR filters and private messaging appeal to youth). Snapchat’s focus on ephemeral messaging and AR lenses keeps it in the youth domain for now.

  • Twitter/X – Twitter (now X) has about 611 million users globally (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). It skews toward the 25–49 age range, with a reputation as a platform for news, politics, and real-time conversation. In many countries, Twitter is a relatively small network in user count (only ~23% of U.S. adults use it, for instance), but it punches above its weight in influence (journalists, politicians, and businesses are active there). Regionally, Twitter is popular in the U.S., Japan (one of Twitter’s largest user bases), and India, and has a moderate presence in Europe. It’s less used in places where internet censorship is high or where another network fulfills the “public discourse” role (for example, in China Weibo plays a similar role). By age, Twitter usage tends to be lowest among teens (they prefer more visual apps) and seniors (who prefer Facebook for online socializing). The 18–34 bracket contains the bulk of Twitter’s users.

  • LinkedIn – With around 900 million users, LinkedIn is a unique case: a professional network used primarily for career-related networking. Its demographic is heavily working-age adults (generally 25–54), skewing toward college-educated and white-collar users. North America, Europe, and India make up the largest audiences on LinkedIn. It has limited or niche use among younger students and virtually none among kids or teens. Seniors also use it rarely unless they remain in the workforce. LinkedIn is notably one of the few major networks with a fairly even gender split globally (approximately 43% female, 57% male) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country), reflecting workforce demographics.

  • Regional Networks – Several platforms are dominant in one country or region. We’ve mentioned WeChat (ubiquitous in China among all ages for everything from messaging to payments), Douyin (Chinese TikTok), Weibo (a microblog used broadly in China), KakaoTalk in South Korea, LINE in Japan and Thailand, VKontakte (VK) in Russia, and others. These often have user bases spanning multiple generations in their home countries. For example, WeChat is used by Chinese citizens of all ages (grandparents use WeChat to video chat with family; kids might use it for school groups). Understanding global social media means acknowledging these region-specific giants alongside the global players.

Trends Over the Past 5–10 Years

The social media landscape is ever-evolving. Looking back to 2015 or 2010, the changes are dramatic:

  • Massive User Growth: As noted, social media users have more than doubled in the past 8 years (Social Network Usage & Growth Statistics (2025)). In 2015, less than 30% of the world’s population was on social media; today it’s nearly 64% (Social Network Usage & Growth Statistics (2025)) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). Emerging markets drove this growth – millions of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America came online for the first time (often via affordable smartphones) and joined platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram. The annual growth rate is slowing now that billions are already connected (year-over-year growth is ~4% as of 2024 (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights)), but we’re still adding 200+ million new social media users each year (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights).

  • Shifts in Platform Popularity: A decade ago, Facebook was king and platforms like MySpace had just died off. Instagram was a newcomer (acquired by Facebook in 2012), and TikTok didn’t exist. Over the past 5–10 years, we saw Facebook’s growth plateau in mature markets (even declining among teens) while Instagram and YouTube grew steadily across all ages. Snapchat had a burst of popularity in mid-2010s among youth, carving out the ephemeral messaging niche. Then came TikTok around 2018, which completely disrupted the ecosystem with its addictive short-form videos and algorithmic feed. TikTok’s rise to over 1.5 billion users in just five years is one of the fastest adoption stories ever. Its success forced incumbents to adapt (Instagram launched Reels, YouTube launched Shorts, Snapchat doubled down on Discover content). Meanwhile, messaging apps consolidated their hold – WhatsApp became the default messenger internationally, and Facebook Messenger and WeChat each topped a billion users. Twitter remained influential but relatively stagnant in user growth, and LinkedIn steadily expanded with the global workforce.

  • Demographic Expansion: In the early 2010s, social media was largely a youth phenomenon. Over time, older demographics joined in. The fastest-growing user segment in the 2010s was older adults (50+). For example, the share of Americans 65+ using social media jumped from 11% in 2010 to 45% by 2021 (Technology Usage Among Seniors | Seniors Guide Partners). We see similar patterns in Europe and parts of Asia – older generations signed up for Facebook to stay in touch with family, and many have since adopted other platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube. This aging of the user base is why Facebook is still so large (it managed to retain older users while younger ones moved to newer apps). At the same time, younger children started going online earlier. By the late 2010s, it wasn’t uncommon to see 10-year-olds with access to TikTok or YouTube (often against official age policies). This has led to calls for better safety and parental controls, and the emergence of “kids” versions (e.g. YouTube Kids, Messenger Kids).

  • Increasing Engagement (Then Leveling Off): As more people came online and platform offerings expanded (live streaming, stories, reels, etc.), the average time spent on social media climbed each year from 2012 through 2021 (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 gave a further boost – locked-down populations turned to social networks to stay connected and entertained, keeping usage high. Interestingly, the latest data suggest a slight decline in average social media time from 2022 to 2024 (from 151 minutes to 143 minutes per day) (Global Social Media Statistics 2024 by Age, Platform, Country). This could indicate a normalization after the pandemic peak, or a shift as people rebalance screen time. Still, overall engagement remains much higher than mid-2010s. Another trend is multi-platform usage: people now spread their attention across more apps (nearly 7 platforms monthly on average (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights)), whereas 5–10 years ago they might have stuck to 2 or 3 main social networks. The social media universe has fragmented into niche communities and content formats – from short videos on TikTok, to streaming on Twitch, to chatting in Discord servers – all of which count toward “social” screen time.

  • Emerging Platforms and Formats: Every few years, a new platform or format shakes things up. Around 2016–2017, it was Instagram Stories (copying Snapchat) popularizing ephemeral content among broader audiences. In 2020, Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces spurred interest in social audio (though that trend has since cooled). TikTok’s short vertical video format is the defining trend of the late 2010s/early 2020s – now imitated everywhere. Looking ahead, platforms built around augmented reality, virtual communities (the “metaverse” concept), and decentralized networks (like Mastodon or Bluesky, amid Twitter’s changes) are potential next disruptors. But as of 2025, the social media landscape is dominated by a stable of giants (Meta’s family, Google’s YouTube, ByteDance’s TikTok, etc.) that each appeal to different audiences and use-cases.

Conclusion

In summary, global social media usage is at an all-time high and continues to grow, though the ways people use social platforms are diversifying. Young people lead the charge in adopting new networks (from Snapchat yesterday to TikTok today), while older users have increasingly made social media part of their routine on stalwarts like Facebook and WhatsApp. Regional cultures shape online behavior: a teen in North America might juggle Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok for 4 hours a day, whereas a working adult in Europe might spend 1 hour on Facebook and LinkedIn, and a college student in Asia might practically live on YouTube and WhatsApp. Despite these differences, the world is more connected than ever through social media – a person in rural Africa can communicate via WhatsApp, watch the same viral TikTok as someone in urban Europe, or follow the same YouTube vlogger as millions in Asia.

The past 5–10 years have brought enormous changes, and the next decade will likely bring even more: expect further growth in developing regions (with hundreds of millions yet to join), new platform innovations (perhaps more AI-driven content and immersive experiences), and ongoing conversations about balancing screen time and well-being. For businesses and content creators, the key takeaway is the importance of understanding your audience demographics and geographies – the “when, where, and why” people use each platform. The statistics show there is no one-size-fits-all social media user. But whether you’re a Gen Z TikTok creator in Indonesia or a Boomer Facebook user in Canada, social media has become an indispensable part of daily life across all age groups and regions – a trend that is only set to continue (Global Social Media Statistics — DataReportal – Global Digital Insights) (Social Media 2025: Trends, Usage, and Key Statistics).

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