Addicted to Likes: Shocking Social Media Addiction Statistics You Should Know

Have you ever mindlessly scrolled through social media feeds, losing track of time and feeling disconnected from the world around you? 

This is just one of the signs of social media addiction, an issue that affects many people in today’s digital age. 

A staggering 210 million individuals globally, equivalent to approximately 4.69% of all social media users, are grappling with social media addiction. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for mindful social media usage and the promotion of healthy online behaviors to mitigate the negative impacts.

With the constant desire for validation, connection, and information at our fingertips, it’s easy to develop an unhealthy dependence on social networking platforms.

These social media addiction statistics are staggering, revealing a global population increasingly enthralled by the siren song of social media. 

This article shows you the eye-opening numbers behind social media addiction.  

Top Social Media Addiction Statistics

• The average internet user spends significant time on social media, totaling 2 hours and 24 minutes (144 minutes) daily. This translates to a staggering 36.5 days (876 hours) per year spent on social media platforms.
• As of early 2024, social media adoption reached a global average of 62.6%, indicating that nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, or approximately six out of every ten individuals, actively engage with social media platforms.
• Over 60% of men and more than 55% of women in the US have a social media addiction. 
• About 10% of the American population (approximately 33.19 million Americans) are addicted to social media.
• Brazilians spend an average of 41 years, 3 months, and 13 days of their lives on the internet.
• A majority (60%) of Australian parents and caregivers consider social media to be the most significant concern for their children’s well-being
• 48% of 16-18-year-old social media users felt addicted to social media, with a higher percentage of girls (57%) reporting addiction compared to boys (37%).
• Approximately 70% of teenagers and young adults in the United States are addicted to social media.
• 36% of Gen X, 30% of Baby Boomers, and 29% of Millennials believed social media harms teens and kids, while only 12% of Gen Z thought it was safe. 
• 40% of U.S. online users aged 18-22 have reported feeling addicted to social media. 

Latest Social Media Addiction Statistics & Facts 

1. The Atlas VPN team’s data reveals that the average internet user spends significant time on social media, totaling 2 hours and 24 minutes (144 minutes) daily. This translates to a staggering 36.5 days (876 hours) per year spent on social media platforms. (source)

2. When parents set strict screen time limits, their teens spend about 1.8 hours less on social media apps daily compared to teens whose parents don’t set such limits. (source)

3. As of April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, with 5.07 billion (62.6% of the global population) using social media. (source)

4. According to the 2019 census, while the growth in screen time has slowed, U.S. tweens (ages 8-12) now average nearly five hours of daily screen media use (4:44), and teens spend approximately seven and a half hours daily (7:22), excluding school screen time or increasing computer use for homework. (source)

5. Nearly half (48.2%) of social media users cite keeping in touch with friends and family as their primary reason for using social platforms. (source) 

6. As of early 2024, social media adoption reached a global average of 62.6%, indicating that nearly two-thirds of the world’s population, or approximately six out of every ten individuals, actively engage with social media platforms. (source)

7. In Canada, as of December 2023, sending private messages was the most common social media activity, followed by liking posts. Facebook Messenger was the preferred platform for private conversations. (source)

8. As of 2024, people spend an average of 2 hours and 23 minutes (143 minutes) on social media daily, a decrease from 2 hours and 31 minutes (151 minutes) in the previous year. (source)

Social Media Addiction Statistics by Demographics (Age, Gender, and Race)

9. Over 60% of men and more than 55% of women in the US have a social media addiction. (source) 

10. The percentage of tweens and teens using computers daily for homework has more than doubled since 2015, though disparities persist for lower-income students with limited device access. Also, the proportion of young people who watch online videos daily has doubled: from 24% to 56% among 8- to 12-year-olds and from 34% to 69% among 13- to 18-year-olds. (source) 

11. Social media addiction affects a significant proportion of different ethnic groups in the United States. The highest prevalence is among African Americans, with around 68% struggling with social media addiction. Hispanic Americans follow closely, with approximately 50% addicted, while around 57% of Asian Americans and over 40% of White Americans also struggle with social media addiction. (source)

12. A 2023 UK survey found that 48% of 16-18-year-old social media users felt addicted to social media, with a higher percentage of girls (57%) reporting addiction compared to boys (37%). Teenagers often struggle with social media due to the pressure to present a perfect online image and participate in online challenges. (source)

13. Last year (2023), teens in Germany between 12 and 19 years old spent an average of 3.7 hours (224 minutes) online daily. (source)

14. A US survey in Oct 2023 found that 36% of Gen X, 30% of Baby Boomers, and 29% of Millennials believed social media harms teens and kids, while only 12% of Gen Z thought it was safe. (source)

15. In Germany, Facebook is considered the least essential social media platform among 36-45-year-olds, with 28.3% considering stopping its use. (source)

16. A survey revealed that almost half (44%) of Japanese teens aged 17-19 believed they were addicted to social media, while a staggering 91.6% of young people in Japan actively used social media platforms. (source)

17. Daily social media usage varies by age, ranging from 4.1 hours for 13-year-olds to 5.8 hours for 17-year-olds. Additionally, girls spend significantly more time on social media than boys, averaging 5.3 hours compared to 4.4 hours, representing a difference of nearly one hour. (source)

18. A 2019 UK survey found that among male respondents, Facebook was the least popular social media platform, with 32.8% considering quitting it. On the other hand, 39.2% of males surveyed had no intention of stopping their use of any social media platform. (source)

19. A 2019 survey in the UK found that among 15-25-year-olds, Facebook was the least essential social media platform, with 37.4% considering quitting it. Only 24.9% of respondents did not intend to stop using any social media platform. (source)

20. A survey of TikTok users in the US found that a significant majority of Gen Z (77.7%) and Gen X (72%) users consider TikTok addictive. (source)

Additionally, the survey revealed that Millennials were the most likely to experience negative mental health effects from using the platform, with 37.3% reporting such effects. Overall, the survey suggests that TikTok can have a profound impact on users’ mental health, particularly among younger generations.

21. A 2019 UK study found that nearly 60% of teenagers used social media to avoid missing out, with almost half feeling that it helped them feel included and less lonely and 40% saying it boosted their self-esteem. (source)

22. Teenage girls are more inclined than boys to use Instagram (66% vs. 53%), along with BeReal, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook, which are also more popular among girls. (source)

23. Hispanic teens notably lead in the use of TikTok and Snapchat. For instance, 32% of Hispanic teens use TikTok almost constantly, compared to 20% of Black teens and 10% of White teens. (source)

24. Teenage girls are more likely than boys to use TikTok almost constantly (22% vs. 12%) and Snapchat (17% vs. 12%). (source)

25. Fewer teens (19%) use Facebook daily, with only 3% saying they are almost constantly on the platform. (source)

26. Older teens aged 15 to 17 are more likely to be constant internet users than younger teens. (source)

27. While 55% of Hispanic and 54% of Black teens report being almost constantly on the internet, the figure drops to 38% among White teens. (source)

28. Older teens are likelier to use various platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Reddit. For example, 68% of teens aged 15 to 17 use Instagram compared to 45% of teens aged 13 to 14. (source)

29. Adolescents spend roughly 3 hours daily on social media, predominantly engaging in visual communication. (source)

30. Studies indicate that 93-97% of adolescents aged 13-17 use at least one social media platform. (source)

31. A decade ago, the average ‘total screen time’ for 8-to-18-year-olds in the U.S. was reported at 7.5 hours daily, peaking among 11-to-14-year-olds at 9 hours. (source)

Social Media Addiction Statistics by Country

32. About 10% of Americans (approximately 33.19 million Americans) are addicted to social media. (source)

33. Brazilians spend an average of 41 years, 3 months, and 13 days of their lives online, ranking second globally after Hong Kong residents who spend over 44 years online. (source)

34. Japanese users spend the least time online, averaging 11 years, 4 months, and 13 days of internet use over their lifetimes. (source)

35. In China, approximately 342 million Gen Z individuals use the internet monthly. (source)

36. As of 2024, Australia had over 25 million people using the internet and 20 million on social media, making up 78.3% of the population. On average, Australians spend around 6 hours daily online, with about 2 hours of that time spent on social media platforms. (source)

37. While most children in France (60%) know what they should and shouldn’t share online, fewer are aware of how to manage their safety settings (44%) or keep track of app costs (31%). Unfortunately, 40% of children have experienced online bullying, with 8.4% facing frequent harassment. Despite this, most (51%) know what to do if something bothers them online, and over half (53%) can block unwanted contacts. (source) 

38. A recent survey found that the majority (60%) of Australian parents and caregivers consider social media to be the most significant concern for their children’s well-being, ahead of other issues like drugs and alcohol. (source)

39. Brazil spends the most time on social media. In Q1 2023, Brazil led in social media usage, with users spending an average of 3 hours and 49 minutes daily. Nigeria and the Philippines also showed high usage, while Japan, South Korea, and Belgium reported significantly lower usage, with Japan averaging less than 50 minutes per day. (source)

40. Approximately 70% of teenagers and young adults in the United States are addicted to social media. (source)

41. A 2023 online survey of 1,784 French consumers found that 18% of respondents use social networks several times a week. This indicates a significant level of regular social media usage among this group. (source)

42. With a large and growing user base, social media is highly popular in France. In 2022, 74% of the population (48.71 million people) used social media, which is expected to increase to 85% by 2027. Unsurprisingly, younger adults (Gen Z) are particularly active on social media, with 79% of 18-24-year-olds using social platforms in 2022. (source)

43. Nigeria is the top African country with the highest social media usage, with an average daily usage time of 3 hours and 42 minutes. South Africa follows closely in second place, with users spending an average of 3 hours and 37 minutes on social media platforms daily. (source)

44. Ghana users spend 235 minutes (3 hours and 55 minutes) daily on social media. (source) 

45. Filipinos and Kenyans spend 216 minutes (3 hours and 36 minutes) and 215 minutes (3 hours and 35 minutes) daily on social media, respectively. (source)

46. The UAE has the highest social media penetration rate globally at 115%, followed by Saudi Arabia at 96.2% and South Korea at 93.4%. Conversely, Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria have some of the lowest penetration rates, each with less than 25% of their populations using social media. (source)

47. A recent survey in India found that most parents of children aged 9-17 believed their kids were addicted to multiple online platforms (videos, social media, gaming, OTT). Only 8% of urban parents said their children had no online media addiction. (source)

48. About 35% of Dutch respondents who were over 50 years old could imagine living without social media. (source)

49. As of January 2024, Malaysia had a high social media penetration rate, with approximately 83.1% of the population (around 28.5 million people) actively using social media platforms. This represents a significant increase of 4.6% from 2023 when 78.5% of the population used social media. Facebook emerged as Malaysia’s most popular social media platform, leading the market. (source)

Social Media Addiction Statistics by Platforms

50. Children in France spend an average of 2-3 hours online daily. Half (50%) of them have a social media profile, with Snapchat being the most popular (25%), especially among girls (31.6% compared to 17.7% of boys). Facebook comes in second at 23%. (source)

51. In a 2022 survey in the United States, 45% of teen girls admitted feeling ‘addicted’ to TikTok, with 32% using the app daily. Similarly, almost half (49%) felt addicted to YouTube, with 37% using it daily. (source)

52. Overall, 45% of Facebook users in the United States have considered leaving the platform. In a survey, Facebook topped the list of platforms users considered quitting, followed by Instagram at 22%. (source)

53. In 2021, American users spent an average of 33 minutes daily on Facebook, making it the platform with the highest daily usage, followed by TikTok and Twitter. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced social media consumption patterns. (source) 

54. Teenagers report spending approximately 1.9 hours per day on YouTube and 1.5 hours on TikTok, with boys favoring YouTube and girls favoring TikTok. Instagram also remains popular, with teens spending 0.9 hours daily on the platform. (source)

55. According to a Gallup study, over half (51%) of U.S. teenagers use various social media apps such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) for at least four hours daily. On average, teens spend 4.8 hours daily across these platforms. (source)

56. A UK survey found that Facebook was considered the least essential social media platform among respondents aged 56 and over, with 24.4% considering stopping its use. However, almost half (49.9%) of the respondents hadn’t considered stopping any social media platform. (source)

57. In Germany, Facebook was also considered the least essential social media platform among male respondents, with 27% contemplating discontinuing its use. (source)

Effects of Social Media Addiction 

58. More than half (55%) of drivers in the United States confess to checking social media platforms while driving, a dangerous habit that puts themselves and others at risk of accidents and injuries. (source)

59. In April 2023, a survey on the lifestyles of Arab youth and their reliance on social media revealed that 74% of young people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region struggled to disconnect from social media. Only 8% of respondents found disconnecting easy, while 18% remained neutral. (source)

60. A U.S. study showed that teenagers with low social-emotional well-being were more likely (35%) to experience cyberbullying on social media compared to those with high social-emotional well-being (5%). (source)

61. 40% of U.S. online users aged 18-22 have reported feeling addicted to social media, with 5% strongly identifying with the statement “I am addicted to social media.” (source)

62. In Poland, 15% of young people require help due to social media addiction, and nearly one in four neglect other activities because of social media use. (source)

63. A survey in April 2023 found that 82% of young adults in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries struggle to disconnect from social media, with 74% of youths in the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region sharing the same difficulty. This indicates high social media dependence among Arab youth, particularly in GCC countries. (source)

64. According to a February 2023 survey, about one-third of adult internet users in the US reported that social media hurt their mental health, with Gen X (born 1965-1980) being the most affected generation, citing a significant negative influence of online platforms on their mental wellbeing. (source)

65. Viewing photos with many likes was associated with increased neural activity in regions linked to reward processing, social cognition, imitation, and attention. Additionally, viewing risky photos decreased activation in the cognitive-control network among adolescents. (source)

66. According to the Director of Behavioral Health, social media is designed to capture our attention, with teens being particularly vulnerable to its addictive qualities. (source) 

67. About 24.4% of adolescents are addicted to social media. There’s no direct link found between adolescents’ social appearance anxiety, social media addiction, and emotional eating behaviors. However, girls, those perceiving low family income, and those influenced by social media influencers tend to experience higher anxiety. (source)

Final Thoughts on Social Media Addiction Statistics

The social media addiction statistics paint a stark picture: social media addiction is a pervasive and insidious issue that affects millions worldwide. It poses significant challenges to mental health, interpersonal relationships, and overall well-being.

Recognizing the signs of addiction and seeking appropriate support can empower individuals to break free from the cycle of compulsive social media use.

As technology evolves, users, platforms, and society must prioritize digital well-being and promote responsible social media engagement. 

By acknowledging social media’s grip on our lives, we can break free from its hold and reclaim our time, connections, and sense of self. The numbers don’t lie—it’s time to take control of our social media use and rediscover a life beyond the likes, shares, and endless scrolls.

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