A recent Pew Research Center survey provides a snapshot of U.S. teens (ages 13-17) and their platform preferences: 
• 73% use YouTube daily
• 57% are on TikTok daily
• 50% log into Instagram daily
• 20% still use Facebook
But here’s the twist: 17% of teens report using X (formerly Twitter), a decline from 23% in 2022.
(And yes, Threads—a Meta newcomer—has only captured 6% of teen users so far.)
The Big Shift:
Nearly half of teens report being online almost constantly. That’s 48%, compared to 24% a decade ago. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok dominate, with 9-in-10 teens saying they use these apps regularly.
Here’s the breakdown by demographics:
• Teen girls are more likely to use TikTok constantly, while boys gravitate toward YouTube.
• Teens from Black and Hispanic communities outpace their White peers in constant use of TikTok and Instagram.
• Teens in lower-income households are more likely to remain active on Facebook (45%) and TikTok (73%).
As discussions around the effects of social media on mental health continue, one thing remains clear: this generation isn’t just “on” social media—they’re immersed.