Ever wondered what the world looks like when you realize that half the planet—over 4.95 billion people—are using social media, streaming services have finally dethroned traditional TV, and the average person spends over 7 hours a day glued to an internet-connected device?
Key Takeaways
- Globally, the average daily time spent on social media reached 2 hours and 31 minutes in 2023, marking a 1.3% increase from the previous year
- In the US, 83.5% of the population used social media in 2023, with Facebook holding a 68% penetration rate among adults
- Gen Z users aged 16-24 spent an average of 4 hours and 3 minutes daily on social media platforms in 2023
- Average US TV viewing time was 2 hours 46 minutes per day in 2023, down 4% from 2022
- Cable TV subscribers in the US dropped to 65.2 million households in 2023, a 7% decline YoY
- Live sports accounted for 52% of US TV viewing time in primetime 2023
- In 2023, Netflix streaming hours surpassed linear TV in US for first time at 52% share
- US streaming video usage averaged 24 hours 36 minutes per week per person in Q4 2023
- YouTube held 9.9% share of US TV viewing time in 2023, second to Netflix's 7.9%
- In 2023, 82% of US internet users accessed the internet daily, averaging 6 hours 40 minutes
- Mobile internet traffic accounted for 59% of global web traffic in 2023
- US adults spent 7 hours 12 minutes daily on internet-connected devices in 2023
- In 2023, US radio listening averaged 1 hour 28 minutes daily per person
- AM/FM radio reached 82% of US weekly listeners in 2023, totaling 242 million
- Newspaper print circulation in US fell to 20.9 million daily in 2023, down 6%
Social media use continues growing worldwide, with streaming now surpassing traditional television viewing.
Internet and Online Media Usage
1In 2023, 82% of US internet users accessed the internet daily, averaging 6 hours 40 minutes
Verified
2Mobile internet traffic accounted for 59% of global web traffic in 2023
Verified
3US adults spent 7 hours 12 minutes daily on internet-connected devices in 2023
Verified
466% of world population was online in 2023, totaling 5.3 billion users
Single source
5Fixed broadband subscriptions reached 1.4 billion globally in 2023
Directional
65G connections hit 1.76 billion worldwide in 2023, 20% of mobile subs
Verified
7Email usage averaged 145 emails sent/received per day per US office worker in 2023
Verified
897% of US young adults aged 18-29 used the internet daily in 2023
Verified
9Global IP traffic reached 3.3 zettabytes in 2023, up 20% YoY
Verified
1048% of US adults got news online in 2023, surpassing TV at 31%
Verified
11UK internet users averaged 6 hours 37 minutes daily online in 2023
Verified
1291% of US adults used the internet in 2023, with 85% via smartphone
Directional
13Podcasts downloads totaled 4.52 billion in US 2023, up 12.5%
Verified
14Global e-commerce sales hit $5.8 trillion in 2023, 22% of retail
Single source
1575% of US video game players used mobile internet for gaming in 2023
Single source
16Average website load time tolerance was 2 seconds in 2023, affecting 40% bounce rate
Verified
1753% of web traffic was from bots in 2023
Verified
18US online news consumption averaged 1 hour 28 minutes daily in 2023
Directional
19Global cloud storage usage reached 6.1 zettabytes in 2023
Single source
2062% of internet users employed ad blockers in 2023
Verified
21Video content drove 82% of internet traffic in 2023
Verified
2240% of US adults used voice assistants daily for internet searches in 2023
Verified
23Global internet penetration in rural areas was 40% in 2023
Verified
24US online learning hours surged 30% to 2.5 billion in 2023 post-pandemic
Single source
2588% of consumers researched products online before purchase in 2023
Verified
26Global cyber attacks on internet users rose 15% to 2,200 daily in 2023
Single source
27Social video platforms accounted for 17% of all internet hours in US 2023
Verified
Internet and Online Media Usage Interpretation
We are now a planet of perpetually logged-in beings, scrolling our way through life for an average of nearly seven daily hours, where a staggering 5.3 billion of us—two-thirds of humanity—are so digitally entwined that over half of all web traffic is actually robotic impostors, while our collective impatience demands websites load faster than we can decide to leave them, all to watch videos that constitute the vast majority of the internet's 3.3 zettabyte traffic, shop in a $5.8 trillion online marketplace, and consume news primarily through screens, even as we desperately try to block the ads that fund it all and fend off a rising tide of cyber attacks, creating a reality where the boundary between online and "life" has not just blurred but effectively dissolved.
Social Media Usage
1Globally, the average daily time spent on social media reached 2 hours and 31 minutes in 2023, marking a 1.3% increase from the previous year
Verified
2In the US, 83.5% of the population used social media in 2023, with Facebook holding a 68% penetration rate among adults
Directional
3Gen Z users aged 16-24 spent an average of 4 hours and 3 minutes daily on social media platforms in 2023
Verified
4TikTok saw 1.7 billion monthly active users worldwide as of Q4 2023, with 58% of users aged 18-34
Verified
5Instagram's advertising reach grew to 1.4 billion users in 2023, with 60% of users discovering products via the platform
Verified
6YouTube had 2.5 billion monthly active users in 2023, with users watching over 1 billion hours of content daily
Verified
7In 2023, 49.8% of the world's population used social media, totaling 4.95 billion users
Verified
8Snapchat reached 414 million daily active users in Q3 2023, primarily among 13-34 year olds at 75% share
Verified
9LinkedIn had 1 billion members in 2023, with 67% of users outside the US, focusing on professional networking
Single source
10Pinterest users numbered 498 million monthly actives in 2023, with 70% female demographic pinning ideas daily
Single source
11WhatsApp had 2 billion monthly users in 2023, handling 100 billion messages daily across 180 countries
Verified
12Twitter (X) saw 556 million monthly users in 2023, with 53% accessing via mobile for real-time news
Verified
13Facebook users spent an average of 30.9 minutes daily in Q4 2023, down 5% YoY
Verified
14In India, social media users reached 462.3 million in 2023, with 50.7% penetration rate
Verified
1571% of US teens aged 13-17 used YouTube daily in 2023, averaging 77 minutes per day
Verified
16Globally, 62.6% of social media users accessed platforms via mobile in 2023
Directional
17Reddit grew to 430 million monthly active users in 2023, with 52% under 30 years old
Verified
18WeChat had 1.3 billion monthly active users in China 2023, integrating messaging and payments
Verified
1958% of global social media ad spend was on mobile in 2023, totaling $153 billion
Verified
20TikTok video views exceeded 1 trillion per month in 2023 among US users alone
Verified
2145% of Instagram users shopped via the app in 2023, driving $50 billion in sales
Verified
22Facebook Groups had 1.8 billion monthly active users in 2023, fostering communities
Verified
23Snapchat Stories reached 300 million daily viewers in 2023
Verified
24LinkedIn posts generated 2x more engagement during work hours in 2023
Directional
2576% of Pinterest users report positive ROI from ads in 2023
Verified
26WhatsApp video calls averaged 1 billion minutes daily in 2023
Directional
27Twitter Spaces hosted 100 million daily listening minutes in 2023 peak
Verified
2882% of US adults used YouTube in 2023, with 54% daily usage
Verified
29Global social media users projected to hit 5.85 billion by 2027, up 16.8% from 2023
Verified
30In 2023, 95.5 million US Facebook users were aged 18-29, representing 70% penetration
Verified
Social Media Usage Interpretation
We’ve so thoroughly outsourced our community, shopping, news, and self-expression to these glowing rectangles that the global average of two and a half hours a day feels less like a pastime and more like a compulsory second shift.
Streaming Media Usage
1In 2023, Netflix streaming hours surpassed linear TV in US for first time at 52% share
Single source
2US streaming video usage averaged 24 hours 36 minutes per week per person in Q4 2023
Verified
3YouTube held 9.9% share of US TV viewing time in 2023, second to Netflix's 7.9%
Verified
4Disney+ had 150 million global subscribers in 2023, with 40% ad-supported tier growth
Directional
5Amazon Prime Video reached 200 million subscribers worldwide in 2023
Directional
6Hulu's ad-supported viewing hours tripled to 1.1 billion in 2023
Verified
7Globally, SVOD subscribers hit 1.3 billion in 2023, up 11.7% YoY
Verified
8TikTok streaming captured 1.7% of US TV time in 2023 among 18-34 demo
Verified
9Peacock grew to 28 million paid subscribers in Q4 2023, boosted by NFL games
Verified
10Max (HBO Max) had 97.6 million global subs in 2023, with 20% ad-tier
Verified
11Paramount+ reached 60 million subs in 2023, with 2 million monthly adds
Verified
12Apple TV+ viewing hours increased 25% YoY to 1.5 billion in 2023
Verified
13US FAST (free ad-supported streaming) services reached 41% household penetration in 2023
Verified
14Netflix ad-tier subs grew to 15 million globally in first 6 months of 2023 launch
Verified
15YouTube Premium had 100 million subs in 2023, driving 10% of watch time
Verified
1689% of US streaming viewers used multiple services in 2023, averaging 5 subs per household
Directional
17Global video streaming market revenue hit $130 billion in 2023, up 12%
Verified
18Twitch averaged 2.3 million concurrent viewers daily in 2023 for gaming streams
Directional
19Roku channels streamed 28.4 billion hours in 2023, up 23% YoY
Verified
2068% of Gen Z preferred streaming over linear TV in 2023 surveys
Verified
21US streaming ad spend reached $18 billion in 2023, 20% of total TV ads
Verified
22Discovery+ merged into Max, retaining 50 million subs in 2023 transition
Single source
23Pluto TV had 80 million monthly active users in 2023, with 500+ channels
Verified
2447% of US broadband homes used streaming sticks/devices exclusively in 2023
Directional
25Global OTT revenue projected $200 billion by 2027 from $129 billion in 2023
Verified
Streaming Media Usage Interpretation
The screen has officially usurped the throne, but its kingdom is now a hopelessly crowded, ad-infested, and subscription-fatigued democracy where we all rule as content-drunk monarchs of our own pixelated domains.
Television Usage
1Average US TV viewing time was 2 hours 46 minutes per day in 2023, down 4% from 2022
Verified
2Cable TV subscribers in the US dropped to 65.2 million households in 2023, a 7% decline YoY
Verified
3Live sports accounted for 52% of US TV viewing time in primetime 2023
Verified
4US adults over 65 watched an average of 4 hours 28 minutes of TV daily in 2023
Single source
5Broadcast TV reached 90% of US households in 2023, but viewing share fell to 20%
Verified
6UK linear TV viewing averaged 2 hours 51 minutes per day in 2023, down 9% YoY
Verified
7In 2023, 44% of US TV time was on smart TVs, up from 39% in 2022
Verified
8News programs captured 15% of US TV viewing share in 2023, led by ABC and NBC
Directional
9Hispanic viewers in US watched 10% more TV than average in 2023 at 3 hours daily
Verified
10Primetime TV viewing in US fell to 4.9% rating in 2023, lowest on record
Verified
1168% of US TV households had DVRs in 2023, time-shifting 25% of viewing
Verified
12Children aged 2-11 watched 1 hour 12 minutes of TV daily in US 2023
Verified
13Local news viewing on TV reached 32 million US viewers daily in 2023
Single source
14US TV ad spend totaled $61 billion in 2023, with 40% on national broadcast
Verified
15Women aged 18-49 watched 2 hours 52 minutes of TV daily in US 2023
Single source
16Over-the-air antenna households grew 5% to 19 million in US 2023
Single source
17Evening news programs averaged 5.8 million viewers per night in US 2023
Verified
1855% of US TV viewing occurred on weekends in 2023
Single source
19Traditional TV penetration in Europe averaged 85% in 2023, but usage down 10%
Verified
20US men aged 18-34 watched 2 hours 10 minutes TV daily in 2023
Verified
21Scripted series accounted for 28% of US TV viewing time in 2023
Verified
2272% of US seniors over 75 watched TV daily for companionship in 2023
Verified
23Late-night talk shows averaged 2.1 million viewers in US 2023, down 15%
Verified
24US TV households totaled 122.4 million in 2023, with 81% subscribing to video services
Verified
25Reality TV genre grew 3% in viewing share to 18% in US 2023
Verified
Television Usage Interpretation
Americans are collectively clinging to the couch for their live sports and news, even as they steadily cut the cable cord and let their DVRs do the heavy lifting, proving that television is not dying but rather evolving into a strange, antenna-topped weekend companion for our nation's seniors.
Traditional Media Usage
1In 2023, US radio listening averaged 1 hour 28 minutes daily per person
Verified
2AM/FM radio reached 82% of US weekly listeners in 2023, totaling 242 million
Verified
3Newspaper print circulation in US fell to 20.9 million daily in 2023, down 6%
Verified
4Podcasts overtook radio in ad revenue at $2 billion vs $1.8 billion in US 2023
Verified
5UK radio listening was 4 hours 13 minutes daily average in 2023
Verified
6US print magazine readership declined to 194 million adults in 2023, 61% penetration
Single source
7Radio news reached 50% of US adults weekly in 2023
Single source
8Global newspaper ad revenue dropped to $80 billion in 2023, 50% from digital shift
Single source
9HD Radio listeners grew 10% to 35 million in US 2023
Directional
1044% of US adults read print newspapers weekly in 2023, down from 50% in 2019
Verified
11SiriusXM had 34.3 million subscribers in US 2023, focusing on satellite radio
Verified
12Comic book sales totaled 45 million units in US 2023, up 7% post-pandemic
Verified
13Public radio listeners in US averaged 11 hours weekly in 2023
Verified
14Print book sales in US reached 767 million units in 2023, up 1.5%
Verified
15Radio commuting listenership fell 20% since 2019 to 55% in US 2023
Verified
1628% of US adults subscribed to print magazines in 2023
Verified
17Christian radio stations reached 1,800 in US 2023, with 15 million weekly listeners
Verified
18Daily newspaper employment in US was 31,100 in 2023, down 50% since 2008
Verified
19Audiobook revenue hit $1.8 billion in US 2023, up 20%
Verified
Traditional Media Usage Interpretation
Despite podcasts edging out radio in ad revenue and print media continuing its graceful decline into nostalgia, the stubborn persistence of radio's reach and the surprising resilience of print books prove that old media are like stubborn houseguests who refuse to leave just because you bought a new, flashier sofa.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Priya Chandrasekaran. (2026, February 13). Media Usage Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/media-usage-statistics
MLA
Priya Chandrasekaran. "Media Usage Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/media-usage-statistics.
Chicago
Priya Chandrasekaran. 2026. "Media Usage Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/media-usage-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1STATISTAstatista.com
statista.com
- Reference 2DATAREPORTALdatareportal.com
datareportal.com
- Reference 3NEWSnews.linkedin.com
news.linkedin.com
- Reference 4PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.org
pewresearch.org
- Reference 5EMARKETERemarketer.com
emarketer.com
- Reference 6BUSINESSbusiness.instagram.com
business.instagram.com
- Reference 7ABOUTabout.fb.com
about.fb.com
- Reference 8INVESTORinvestor.snap.com
investor.snap.com
- Reference 9BUSINESSbusiness.linkedin.com
business.linkedin.com
- Reference 10BUSINESSbusiness.pinterest.com
business.pinterest.com
- Reference 11BLOGblog.twitter.com
blog.twitter.com
- Reference 12NIELSENnielsen.com
nielsen.com
- Reference 13MPAAmpaa.org
mpaa.org
- Reference 14OFCOMofcom.org.uk
ofcom.org.uk
- Reference 15RTNDArtnda.org
rtnda.org
- Reference 16ADWEEKadweek.com
adweek.com
- Reference 17ECec.europa.eu
ec.europa.eu
- Reference 18AARPaarp.org
aarp.org
- Reference 19VARIETYvariety.com
variety.com
- Reference 20THEWALTDISNEYCOMPANYthewaltdisneycompany.com
thewaltdisneycompany.com
- Reference 21NBCUNIVERSALnbcuniversal.com
nbcuniversal.com
- Reference 22WBDwbd.com
wbd.com
- Reference 23IRir.paramount.com
ir.paramount.com
- Reference 24APPLEapple.com
apple.com
- Reference 25BLOGblog.youtube
blog.youtube
- Reference 26PARROTANALYTICSparrotanalytics.com
parrotanalytics.com
- Reference 27IRir.roku.com
ir.roku.com
- Reference 28DELOITTEdeloitte.com
deloitte.com
- Reference 29PARAMOUNTparamount.com
paramount.com
- Reference 30NTIAntia.gov
ntia.gov
- Reference 31ITUitu.int
itu.int
- Reference 32GSMAgsma.com
gsma.com
- Reference 33RADICALIradicali.com
radicali.com
- Reference 34CISCOcisco.com
cisco.com
- Reference 35NTIAntia.doc.gov
ntia.doc.gov
- Reference 36EDISONRESEARCHedisonresearch.com
edisonresearch.com
- Reference 37ESAesa.int
esa.int
- Reference 38PORTENTportent.com
portent.com
- Reference 39IMPERVAimperva.com
imperva.com
- Reference 40PAGEFAIRpagefair.com
pagefair.com
- Reference 41SANDVINEsandvine.com
sandvine.com
- Reference 42NPRnpr.org
npr.org
- Reference 43RESEARCHresearch.com
research.com
- Reference 44PWCpwc.com
pwc.com
- Reference 45CLOUDFLAREcloudflare.com
cloudflare.com
- Reference 46IABiab.com
iab.com
- Reference 47RAJARrajar.co.uk
rajar.co.uk
- Reference 48MPAmpa.org
mpa.org
- Reference 49HDRADIOhdradio.com
hdradio.com
- Reference 50INVESTORinvestor.siriusxm.com
investor.siriusxm.com
- Reference 51COMICHRONcomichron.com
comichron.com
- Reference 52PUBLISHERSWEEKLYpublishersweekly.com
publishersweekly.com
- Reference 53MAGAZINEmagazine.org
magazine.org
- Reference 54CHRISTIANRADIOchristianradio.com
christianradio.com
- Reference 55AUDIOPUBaudiopub.org
audiopub.org