With the creation of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and the numerous other social media sites popping up daily, the issue of social media addiction has become a frequent topic of discussion. What is it about social media that causes us to devote so much of our time to trading personal information with friends, family and even businesses? And more importantly, how much of our personal time do we spend checking in and staying updated on our social media outlets?
The following statistics from the Pew Research Center, Sprout Social and Broadband Search give interesting results about social media usage, especially with young adults:
On Facebook:
– 51% of adult users say they visit more than once per day.
– 76% of adults 18-24 say they visit at least once a day.
– 58 minutes: the average amount of time adult users spend on the platform daily.
On Twitter:
– 25% of adult users say they visit more than once per day.
– 44% of adults 18-24 say they visit at least once a day.
On Instagram:
– 42% of adult users say they visit more than once per day.
– 75% of adults 18-24 say they visit at least once a day.
– 53 minutes: the average amount of time adult users spend on the platform daily.
On Youtube:
– 32% of adult users say they visit more than once per day.
– 90% of adults 18-24 say they visit at least once a day.
– 40 minutes: the average amount of time adult users spend on the platform daily.
On Snapchat:
– 46% of adult users say they visit more than once per day.
– 73% of adults 18-24 say they visit at least once a day.
– 49+ minutes: the average amount of time adult users spend on the platform daily.
It is clear that social media has not only captured our society’s attention, but has also developed into its own strain of personal addiction among many people, particularly those under the age of 25. As our society continues to evolve and technology increases, what can we predict will happen in the next five, ten, fifteen years?
*Statistics and sources updated in July 2020.
