Reddit surges as generation gaps persist in annual survey of U.S. social media preferences

Each year, the Pew Research Center publishes reports that detail social media platform adoption trends among U.S. consumers. The 2025 edition of that dataset is out now, and it identifies Reddit as one of the year’s biggest social media success stories. The so-called “front page of the internet” is now used by 26% of U.S. adults, and it eclipsed Snapchat to finish sixth in Pew’s ranking of the most-used social platforms.

The most pertinent question in Pew’s annual survey is a simple one: Do you ever use any of the following social media platforms? This year, 5,022 respondents answered that question, and their current habits are mostly the same as they were last year. YouTube‘s market saturation declined slightly to 84%, but the Google-owned hub is still the most commonly used social platform among U.S. adults.

Second-place finisher Facebook (used by 71% of U.S. adults) and #3 entry Instagram (50%) gave Meta two consistent placements in the Pew ranking. TikTok (37%) had the biggest year-over-year increase on the list, but Reddit was the only platform that improved its place compared to last year. Its growing adoption comes as several other platforms attempt to copy its signature threaded comments. Those threads are useful for AI training purposes, so we can expect Reddit to remain relevant as long as the AI bubble doesn’t burst.

But if Pew’s findings are to be believed, the future of social media might be dominated by platforms that can best connect with older Americans. YouTube and Facebook topped the saturation ranking because they reach users over the age of 65. YouTube is used by 64% of respondents in that age group, while Facebook has made inroads with 57% of that cohort. No other listed platform reaches more than 20% of U.S. senior citizens.

Older Americans aren’t just a key demographic for platforms looking to achieve peak saturation. The 65+ cohort also has plenty of disposable income, making it an important group in the context of digital ads. You could argue, for example, that increasing adoption of podcasts among consumers over the age of 55 has catalyzed the podcast boom that endures to this day.

So if you want your brand’s content to work as hard as possible online, then make sure it can connect with America’s senior citizens. Here’s a hint: The old fogeys among us like to watch on TV screens, so if you want to reach them, that’s the place to do it.