Have social platforms Stunning short-form viral videos and images from Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok continue to gain popularity among Gen Z.
About 71% of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram, compared to 65% who use Snapchat and about 48% who use TikTok, according to a Pew Research Center study. The findings released Wednesday are from a recent telephone survey of more than 1,500 Americans conducted from Jan. 25 to Feb. 8.
Social media expert Karen North, a professor at the University of Southern California, said the enduring appeal of these apps is that users can not only send texts and direct messages, but also express themselves through videos and photos. She likens the experience to going to nightclubs.
“In some ways, we expect young people to find the new hot club,”
North said. “And right now, young people are going on these apps and will stay there for a little while to party until they find something new.”
Another expert, Helen Wang, an associate professor of communication at the University at Buffalo, agrees. She said Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok have features that are better suited to this demographic. “They grew up immersed in rich media, and they are naturally equipped with better digital literacy skills to navigate different platforms with skill and agility,” Wang said.
Overall, YouTube (81%) and Facebook (69%) remain UAE WhatsApp Number List the most used social media platforms, with YouTube gaining 8% in popularity in the most recent Pew survey conducted in 2019. The survey indicates that Reddit also saw a 7 percentage point growth from two years ago.
Pew’s latest findings on social media come despite continued calls from the U.S. government for greater scrutiny and regulation to force big tech companies to impose moderation on their platforms by curbing hate speech, extremism, misinformation, election interference and other falsehoods.
Last week, a US TODAY exclusive reported that videos pushing QAnon and COVID vaccine conspiracies were skyrocketing on TikTok, which has about 100 million users in the United States, despite the social media app’s crackdown. Other platforms have seen similar problems with hoaxes and lies.
“While we’ve seen an increase in fake news, misinformation and online harassment
We’re not seeing an exodus of people leaving these apps or platforms,” said Monica Anderson, a senior researcher at Pew.
Overall, about 72% of respondents say they use at least one of the 11 social networks mentioned in the study. About 40% say they use Instagram, 31% use Pinterest, and 28% use Linkedin.
Meanwhile, about a quarter of respondents say they use Twitter, WhatsApp or TikTok. And with the exception of Reddit, TikTok and Nextdoor, most platforms have shown little growth compared to the last Pew survey conducted in 2019.
North, the USC professor, said some platforms may have WhatsApp Number Database peaked. But she points out that Reddit’s recent growth coincides with a group of small investors who joined forces on Reddit under the subreddit r/WallStreetBets, and drove the stock of struggling video game retailer GameStop to nearly $500 a share in late January.
The professor called Reddit’s sudden impact “remarkable” and gave him a different perspective on the platform.
“In the early days of Reddit
I was a little worried that it was shady.” North said. “But it’s evolved into a really powerful set of communities where important conversations happen, despite the fact that some shady groups also thrive there.”
Wang, a professor at the University at Buffalo. Said she Bulk Database now has a class of freshmen who are volunteering to host a “gc” (group chat) on Snapchat for their classmates to help each other navigate online learning through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So even though they started on these social networks for fun. These social networks can also become part of their digital toolkit and help for other purposes when needed,” Wang said.
