Young America is logging off… kinda

US adults under 30 are the only age cohort to see a decline in social media use in recent years, according to new data from the Pew Research Center.

📱 By the numbers… Since 2018, the overall ratio of US adults aged 18-29 who said they use at least one social media site has decreased from 88% to 84%. This stands in contrast to all other age groups over the same time period, whose usage actually increased.

• 30-49: 78% → 81%
• 50-64: 64% → 73%
• 65+: 37% → 45%

😬 One caveat, though: The recent dip in Young Americans’ social media usage has occurred across all major platforms… except for TikTok, per Piper Sandler’s latest Gen Z Consumer Survey.

✋ Also important to note… Both Pew and Piper Sandler use a fairly narrow definition of “social media,” excluding smaller, more specialized social apps that have become popular in recent years – like Twitch for live-streaming and gaming, Discord for private chat groups, BeReal for spontaneous updates, or Poparazzi for candid photos of friends.

+One interesting thing: 78% of US women say they use at least one social media site, compared to 66% of men.