With 85% of U.S. adults and 90% of U.S. teens reporting they use YouTube, it is the most widely used of all the online platforms, according to Pew Research. “The video-based platform serves as a forum for entertainers, commentators, businesses and others, and Americans use it in a variety of ways, from getting the news to learning new skills,” Pew reports. While many adults associate YouTube with teen use, adult use has grown as well:
- Fact #1: More adults use YouTube than any other online platform including Facebook and Instagram which are a distant second and third.
- Fact #2: Across all age groups, the majority of adults use YouTube with the highest usage rates among 30 to 49 year olds.
- Fact #3: YouTube is far and away the most used online platform by teens aged 13 to 17. Nearly tied for a distant second place are TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat.
- Fact #4: 32% of American adults report they regularly get their news from YouTube. This is the same percentage who report getting their news from Facebook.
To read more about this research, go to Pew Research. Reflect on how often you use YouTube, the types of content you consume there, and how your habits might be similar or different from your teens. Discussing our personal online habits can help us understand other perspectives better.