YouTube Beats TikTok and Instagram Among Teen Users

In a recent finding by Pew Research Center, YouTube has clinched the top spot as the daily go-to platform for teens, outperforming TikTok and Instagram.

An impressive 73% of American teens between the ages of 13 and 17 frequent YouTube each day. This figure reflects a slight increase from last year’s 71%, solidifying YouTube’s appeal among the younger demographic.

On the other hand, TikTok remains a strong contender with 57% of teens visiting the app daily, a statistic that has remained steady over the past year.

Instagram is also in the race, with its daily usage among teens rising to 50% from 47%, securing the third position in popularity.

The landscape for other social media platforms like Facebook and X is less favorable. The survey indicates a steep decline in their usage among teens.

Currently, less than one-third of teens report using Facebook occasionally, a drastic fall from 71% in 2014-15. Daily engagement is even lower at 20%.

Similarly, X, despite being a staple in the past, is now used daily by only 17% of teens.

Snapchat continues to hold its ground, with 48% of teens using it each day, though this marks a small decrease from previous figures.

Looking forward, the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. looms large. The platform, which is owned by Beijing-based Bytedance, faces an uncertain future unless it manages to sell its American operations by January 19.

This development could significantly alter the social media usage patterns of American teens, especially if TikTok’s absence is prolonged.

President-elect Donald Trump has hinted at a willingness to intervene and ‘save’ TikTok, adding another layer of intrigue to the situation.

As 2025 approaches, it will be intriguing to see how the social media preferences of teens evolve, especially with possible shifts in the availability of popular platforms.