Daniel Slotta
Research expert covering Greater China
Social media usage in the United States - statistics & facts
The social media secret to reaching Facebook levels of success? Video content. The rise of video-centric platforms like YouTube and TikTok are direct rivals to the social media giant in the United States. Social platforms are used for fun, business, and shopping, and there will be changes on the horizon if major services cannot keep up with what U.S. consumers really want.
In 2025, there are around 310 million social media users in the United States, which accounts for over 93 percent of the country's population.
Recently, there has been considerable discourse regarding the future of TikTok in the United States, and it has generated considerable controversy. The U.S government passed legislation to ban the short-form video app TikTok unless it is sold to a government-approved buyer, for concerns around sensitive user data. In March 2024, 36 percent of U.S. citizens reported being very concerned about TikTok’s potential security and privacy risks, while 23 percent said they were not at all concerned. As a brand, TikTok enjoys an awareness rate of 89 percent in the United States, and a 44 percent popularity rate.
Social media had a more favorable impact on the mental health of men than women, with nine percent of male respondents reporting very positive effects and 16 percent reporting moderately positive effects. In comparison, only six percent and 15 percent of women reported that social networks affected them very positively or somewhat positively, respectively.
The world of social media in the United States could change in a lot of ways, especially if Facebook is unable to maintain its current level of popularity. Additionally, as discussions progress, conflicting opinions about social media's impact on mental health and trust will also come into play.
In 2025, there are around 310 million social media users in the United States, which accounts for over 93 percent of the country's population.
YouTube takes on Facebook
As of June 2025, Facebook was the most used social media platform in the United States, followed by YouTube and Instagram, respectively. March 2025 saw the largest share of social media website visits coming from Facebook, followed by Pinterest and X (formerly Twitter). When it comes to social apps in the United States, YouTube achieves the highest user penetration with 76 percent, while Facebook had a reach of 67 percent as of early 2025.Such a thing as bad publicity?
In the United States, YouTube is the leading social network for brand awareness. Overall, 96 percent of U.S. consumers have heard of the video-based platform, whilst 95 percent have heard of Facebook. Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat also have high awareness rates.Recently, there has been considerable discourse regarding the future of TikTok in the United States, and it has generated considerable controversy. The U.S government passed legislation to ban the short-form video app TikTok unless it is sold to a government-approved buyer, for concerns around sensitive user data. In March 2024, 36 percent of U.S. citizens reported being very concerned about TikTok’s potential security and privacy risks, while 23 percent said they were not at all concerned. As a brand, TikTok enjoys an awareness rate of 89 percent in the United States, and a 44 percent popularity rate.
Widespread usage and divided opinions
Social media users have differing perspectives regarding the advantages and disadvantages of social media usage. As of January 2025, 41 percent of adults in the United States reported that they did not trust information posted on social media platforms very often, while 16 percent indicated that they did not trust it at all. Respondents between the ages of 30 and 44 were the most likely to report that they trusted the information posted on social media on a frequent basis.Social media had a more favorable impact on the mental health of men than women, with nine percent of male respondents reporting very positive effects and 16 percent reporting moderately positive effects. In comparison, only six percent and 15 percent of women reported that social networks affected them very positively or somewhat positively, respectively.
The world of social media in the United States could change in a lot of ways, especially if Facebook is unable to maintain its current level of popularity. Additionally, as discussions progress, conflicting opinions about social media's impact on mental health and trust will also come into play.
