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EMARKETER

US Social Media Users by Generation 2025

Gen Z and Gen Alpha User Growth Stabilizes Major Platforms and Boosts Others

Report by Paola Flores-Marquez  |  Aug 5, 2025
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Social media adoption and usage remain high among younger generations, while overall time spent plateaus
Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram remain the biggest social media players across generations
Snapchat and X are mostly stable thanks to Gen Z
Gen Z is catching up to millennials on Pinterest, Reddit, and LinkedIn
YouTube Shorts is popular with Gen Alpha and Gen Z
Recommendations for brands and agencies
Sources
Media Gallery
About This Report
Time spent with social media is plateauing, but Gen Z and Gen Alpha are still platform-hopping. As Gen Zers steadily overtake millennials in terms of share, brands must understand the nuances of how each generation uses its platforms of choice.
Topics
Social Media Users
Generation Z
Millennials
United States
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Social media adoption and usage remain high among younger generations, while overall time spent plateaus
Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram remain the biggest social media players across generations
Snapchat and X are mostly stable thanks to Gen Z
Gen Z is catching up to millennials on Pinterest, Reddit, and LinkedIn
YouTube Shorts is popular with Gen Alpha and Gen Z
Recommendations for brands and agencies
Sources
Media Gallery

This report analyzes the US social media user landscape by generation in 2025. It highlights trends in platform adoption, time spent, generational preferences, and how different age groups use major platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. It also explores usage of smaller platforms like Pinterest, Reddit, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube Shorts.

Key Question: Which platforms should advertisers invest in to maximize their ability to reach and influence the buying behaviors of different generations of shoppers?

Key Stat: We expect the percentage of Gen Alphas who are social network users to increase from 15.9% in 2025 to 40.3% in 2029 as they enter their teens, fueled by greater independence and access to their own smartphones.

Gen Alpha's Social Network Penetration Will More Than Double by 2029 as the Oldest of Them Enter Their Teens
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Here’s what’s in the full report

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Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Social media adoption and usage remain high among younger generations, while overall time spent plateaus
  3. Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram remain the biggest social media players across generations
  1. Snapchat and X are mostly stable thanks to Gen Z
  2. Gen Z is catching up to millennials on Pinterest, Reddit, and LinkedIn
  3. YouTube Shorts is popular with Gen Alpha and Gen Z
  1. Recommendations for brands and agencies
  2. Sources
  3. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Gen Alpha's Social Network Penetration Will More Than Double by 2029 as the Oldest of Them Enter Their TeensGen Alpha's Social Network Penetration Will More Than Double by 2029 as the Oldest of Them Enter Their Teens
Facebook Use Is Especially Concentrated Among Older AdultsGen Z Is the Only Generation That Spends More Time on Social Media Than With Streaming Video
Gen Zers Will Continue Adopting Facebook as Usage Among Older Generations DeclinesTeen TikTok Users Spend More Time on the App Than on Instagram and YouTube Combined
Instagram Is Seeing Bigger Gen Z User Gains Than TikTokGen Zers Are More Likely to Use YouTube and TikTok for Search Than Other Major Social Platforms
Gen Zers Will Account for Over Half of Snapchat Users and Over a Third of TikTok and Instagram UsersTikTok Will Convert Over 40% of US Users Into Buyers in 2024, Ahead of Facebook and Instagram (% of US users of each social network who make a purchase on the platform, 2022-2028)

authors

Paola Flores-Marquez

Contributors

Suzy Davidkhanian
VP, Content
Vladimir de Leon
Chart Editor
Nikolai Dineros
Donte Gibson
Senior Charts Editor
Zach Goldner
Senior Forecasting Analyst
Na Li
Director, Primary Research
Penelope Lin
Director, Data Visualization
Jennifer Pearson
VP, Research
Minda Smiley
Heather Sprung
Senior Editor
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