The Most Used Social Media Platforms by US Teenagers in 2023

In the U.S., nearly 20% of teenagers report using YouTube and TikTok “almost constantly,” based on a recent survey, highlighting their strong engagement with these video-streaming apps.

In the U.S., teenagers are highly engaged with YouTube and TikTok, with nearly 1 in 5 indicating they use these video-streaming apps “almost constantly,” as per a recent survey by the Pew Research Center on teens’ social media and internet habits.

The findings reveal that YouTube is the predominant platform, with 93% of respondents reporting regular usage. Notably, around 16% of these teenagers express that they “almost constantly visit or use” YouTube, highlighting the platform’s significant appeal among the youth demographic.

Tiktok emerged as the second-most popular app among teenagers, with 63% of respondents indicating its use, closely followed by Snapchat and Meta’s Instagram at 60% and 59%, respectively. Notably, 17% of those using TikTok mentioned accessing the platform “almost constantly.”

The study highlighted a decline in the popularity of Facebook and Twitter (now referred to as X) among U.S. teens compared to a decade ago. Specifically, Facebook usage has plummeted from 71% in 2014-2015 to 33% today, while Instagram, owned by Meta, experienced fluctuations, reaching a peak of 62% last year and settling at 59% in 2023.

Gender differences were observed, with teenage girls showing a higher inclination toward apps like BeReal, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook. On the other hand, teenage boys exhibited a preference for video game-centric messaging and social apps such as Discord and Twitch. 

Analyzing usage across race and ethnicity, the survey found that approximately 80% of Black teenagers use TikTok, compared to 70% of Hispanic teens and 57% of white teens. Moreover, Hispanic teens demonstrated a higher likelihood of using Meta-owned WhatsApp compared to their Black and white counterparts.

The most recent study on teen social media usage closely mirrored last year’s findings, as reported by Pew Research. The study suggested that teens’ engagement with various platforms has shown little change over the past year. According to the authors, the percentage of teens using platforms like TikTok has remained statistically unchanged since the previous year.

The survey, conducted between September 26, 2023, and October 23, 2023, gathered responses from nearly 1,500 individuals aged 13 to 17.