In 2025, social media continues to shape how people communicate, consume content, and connect globally. With over 5.24 billion users, social media has become an essential part of everyday life. Understanding social media demographics—from age-based usage trends to platform-specific growth—is critical for grasping how modern digital behaviors evolve.
This report compiles the latest available statistics on who uses social media the most, platform growth, and which new social media platforms are gaining momentum in 2025.
Total Global Social Media Usage in 2025
As of January 2025:
- Global social media users: 5.24 billion
- Percentage of global population: 63.9%
- Average daily time spent per user: 2 hours 23 minutes
- Highest usage by region:
- Northern Europe: 81.7% penetration
- Western Europe: 80.2%
- Southern Europe: 74.8%
These figures show just how embedded social media platforms have become across cultures and continents.
What Is the Most Used Social Media by Age?
Here’s a clear breakdown of social media usage by age range in the United States (2025):
- 18–29 years – YouTube (93%), Instagram (76%), Facebook (68%), Snapchat (65%)
- 30–49 years – YouTube (94%), Facebook (78%), Instagram (66%), Pinterest (43%)
- 50–64 years – YouTube (86%), Facebook (70%), Instagram (36%), LinkedIn (30%)
- 65+ years – YouTube (65%), Facebook (59%), Pinterest (22%), Instagram (19%)
As the data shows, YouTube remains the most used social media across all age groups, highlighting the growing importance of gaining loyal YouTube Subscribers to reach a wide demographic. Meanwhile, Instagram and Snapchat clearly dominate among younger users, while Facebook holds strong appeal from age 30 upward, especially among users over 50.
The Biggest Social Media Platforms by Active Users
The following platforms rank as the largest social media platforms globally in terms of active monthly users:
| Platform | Active Users (in billions) |
| 2.9 | |
| YouTube | 2.5 |
| 2.0 | |
| 2.0 | |
| 1.3 | |
| TikTok | 1.1 |
These are currently the most used social media networks, each fulfilling a distinct role in the global content and communication ecosystem.
New Social Media Platforms to Watch in 2025
The social media landscape is not static. Several new social media platforms are emerging and attracting millions of users—especially among younger demographics and digital-native communities.
- Threads : A text-based social network developed by Meta, tightly integrated with Instagram.
- Bluesky : A decentralized alternative to traditional platforms, focused on user control and transparency.
- Xiaohongshu (RedNote) : A fast-growing hybrid of social media and e-commerce, widely popular in China and increasingly global.
These platforms represent the evolution of online spaces toward more niche, immersive, and interest-based experiences.
You may also want to check out this article: Social Media Trends 2025: The Future of Social Media Marketing
Final Snapshot: Who Uses Social Media the Most?
When we ask who uses social media the most, the answer varies by metric:
- Youth adoption is highest among Gen Z (13–24), particularly on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
- Adults 30–49 dominate on YouTube and Facebook, with strong usage for video and community.
- Older demographics (50+) are most present on YouTube and Facebook, drawn by video content and family connectivity.
From this perspective, social media demographics are less about total user count and more about behavioral nuance across age and platform type.
Conclusion
Understanding the social media landscape in 2025 means more than just knowing which platforms are the biggest—it requires a deeper look at user age, platform growth, and how new technologies are shaping new social media platforms.
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From YouTube’s cross-generational dominance to TikTok’s hold on youth, and the rise of decentralized networks like Bluesky, one thing is certain: social media continues to diversify, and staying informed on social media demographics is key to understanding the digital future.
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