Gen Z's Relationship with Social Media

Snap, Tweet, Like: Gen Z's Relationship with Social Media

Social media has become an essential part of modern life, especially for Generation Z, who are particularly skilled at using it. This group, growing up in the digital era, really enjoys using social media and effortlessly incorporates it into their daily lives. They don't just use it for fun; they see social media platforms as ways to communicate, express themselves, and get involved in society. Generation Z is leading the way in the digital world, using social media to empower themselves and others personally and collectively.

Gen Z Social Media Usage

Most used social media platforms among Gen Z and internet users worldwide as of September 2023.

Source: Statista.com

Gen Z Social Media Statistics: Insights into Zoomer’s Habits

• 97.5% of Gen Z cite social media as their primary source of shopping ideas.
• 81% of Gen Z discover new products and services through social media.
• Streaming video content accounts for around 40% of Generation Z’s digital time.
• 64% of male and 70% of female U.S Gen Zers used Snapchat.
• 45% of Gen Z respondents stated there is too much pressure to be perfect on social media.
• 46% of Gen Z follow over ten influencers on social media.
• 77% of Gen Z get their news from social media.
• 56% of Gen Z users use social media to communicate.
• As of January 2023, the most popular TikTok searches among Gen Z users were “how to…”
• Meta’s Facebook was used by 45% of males and 54% of female U.S. Gen Zers.
• 64% of male and 70% of female U.S Gen Zers used Snapchat.
• 62% of male and 75% of female U.S Gen Zers use TikTok.
• 93% of male and 84% of female Gen Zers in the U.S. use YouTube.

A Gen Z Perspective

A.A. is 23 years old and is a recent college graduate. She currently has a hybrid work schedule.

How do you believe social media influences your life, positively or negatively?

As someone who’s a little older, is no longer a student anymore and has a full time job, I don’t get to see some of my friends and extended family every day. So, social media definitely makes me feel closer to them when I can visually see what’s going on in their lives with what they post. For the most part, what I see on social media makes me feel good. From workout videos to healthy step-by-step recipes, I always feel like my social media motivates me to be better and gives me the resources or how-to’s on how to do it. Also, I don’t watch the TV news a lot, so almost all of the news I get comes from either Instagram or TikTok. Especially with so many protests and world conflicts going on right now, it is so inspiring to see well informed people my age talking about these topics at length, with so much knowledge. Social media with this generation, especially, has been so important in amassing support for domestic and international injustices, which then creates the opportunity to turn it into action. So in this way, it does affect me positively. The only negative I feel with social media sometimes is the constant encounters of increasingly high beauty standards and this may resonate more with women and girls, specifically. Because people only post the ‘positives’ of their lives and only post pictures from their good angle, it’s easy to feel as though you don’t achieve that standard.

Do they feel it is used in schools appropriately? Should it be used?

Yes, from what I have seen, I do think social media can be a great addition to what’s being learned inside the classroom. Especially as a college student, I’ve always been told to push the boundaries of what institutions expect you to do, and they encourage students to do what is right politically. There are a lot of knowledge and well-educated influencers on social media networks that speak about political movements, specifically, with great background and context. I do see that younger and younger students are accessing social media, so there is a lot of potential exposure for this younger group of students, but I would be weary of the extent that social media may distract them. I use social media for so much more, and I learn so many things about life that is not yet taught in schools, like how to handle your money responsibly and invest, etc. I actually know of teachers in middle school/high school who have TikTok accounts for their students specifically. 

What are your views about technology in schools?

I think it’s important to increase access to these kinds of resources. I have only seen technology be used in a positive way in school. There are students who learn visually vs. those who are more auditory, and I think to use technology to feed information to each student in the most effective and positive way for them is awesome. Whether it’s using an interactive platform for students (like ST Math, IDK what the other ones are like the science videos with the guy and the robot oh Tim and mobey) or creating a social media account to teach students math concepts in an engaging way, teachers know what works best for their students. 

Looking Forward

Social media has undergone a remarkable evolution since its emergence in the late 1990s. As we journey into the future, it's foreseeable that social media will not only continue its exponential growth but also become an even more integral part of everyone's lives. With an increasing variety of platforms tailored to diverse audiences and objectives, social media's pervasive presence is set to persist, shaping how we connect, communicate, and engage with the world around us.

Sources:

Nation, P. (2024, March 23). 35 Gen Z Social Media Statistics: (2024 Insights). https://persuasion-nation.com/gen-z-social-media-statistics/