Smartphones drive the constant connection too, with 37% of U.S. adults using the internet “nearly constantly” on a smartphone in 2023. Yet streaming and messaging move at a different scale entirely, with 1.7 trillion messages sent per day across apps worldwide in 2023 alongside Netflix’s 260.2 million paid memberships as of Q1 2024. Put those together and media habits look less like a single trend and more like a set of overlapping routines across social, search, video, and audio.
Key Takeaways
- 61% of U.S. adults used Facebook in 2021 — measures reach of a legacy social platform.
- 90% of U.S. adults used the internet in 2023 — indicates the penetration of online media access.
- 51% of adults in the United States said they get news from social media sometimes, often, or regularly (2023) — indicates social media’s role in media consumption.
- 37% of U.S. adults reported using a smartphone to access the internet “nearly constantly” (2023) — links media usage to always-on devices.
- 66% of respondents in a 2023 Ofcom study said they use streaming services to watch TV content — measures streaming adoption for TV viewing.
- Netflix had 260.2 million global paid memberships in Q1 2024 — measures scale of one of the largest media usage services.
- Disney+ had 150.1 million global subscribers as of Q3 2024 (reported) — provides scale of subscription video usage.
- In the UK, 93% of adults used the internet in 2023 — indicates connectivity enabling digital media usage.
- iOS had 30.8% of global smartphone OS market share in 2024 (estimated) — quantifies iPhone ecosystem share for media usage.
- Google accounted for 91.7% of global search engine market share in April 2024 — reflects how users discover media content.
- 42.8% of U.S. adults used YouTube in 2021 — measures reach of a major video platform among adults.
- 56.6% of U.S. adults used Instagram in 2021 — measures reach of a major social platform among adults.
- 24.0% of U.S. adults used TikTok in 2021 — measures reach of a short-form video platform among adults.
- In 2023, the median time spent listening to online audio was 3.0 hours per week among U.S. adults — measures online audio engagement.
- The global OTT video market is projected to reach $170.8 billion in 2024 — measures subscription/OTT video market size forecast.
With internet access nearly universal, streaming and mobile video dominate how Americans and people worldwide consume media.
Related reading
Audience Reach
161% of U.S. adults used Facebook in 2021 — measures reach of a legacy social platform.[1]
Verified
290% of U.S. adults used the internet in 2023 — indicates the penetration of online media access.[2]
Verified
Audience Reach Interpretation
With 90% of U.S. adults using the internet in 2023 and 61% using Facebook in 2021, audience reach is clearly broad online while a legacy social platform still commands a substantial but smaller share.
Usage Behavior
151% of adults in the United States said they get news from social media sometimes, often, or regularly (2023) — indicates social media’s role in media consumption.[3]
Verified
237% of U.S. adults reported using a smartphone to access the internet “nearly constantly” (2023) — links media usage to always-on devices.[4]
Single source
366% of respondents in a 2023 Ofcom study said they use streaming services to watch TV content — measures streaming adoption for TV viewing.[5]
Directional
41.7 trillion messages were sent per day across messaging apps worldwide in 2023 (estimate) — quantifies messaging media volume.[6]
Verified
Usage Behavior Interpretation
Across usage behavior, media consumption is increasingly digital and always-on, with 51% of U.S. adults getting news from social media and 37% using smartphones nearly constantly, while streaming adoption is high at 66% and messaging apps move a staggering 1.7 trillion messages per day worldwide in 2023.
More related reading
Market And Spend
1Netflix had 260.2 million global paid memberships in Q1 2024 — measures scale of one of the largest media usage services.[7]
Verified
2Disney+ had 150.1 million global subscribers as of Q3 2024 (reported) — provides scale of subscription video usage.[8]
Verified
Market And Spend Interpretation
With Netflix reaching 260.2 million global paid memberships in Q1 2024 and Disney+ hitting 150.1 million subscribers by Q3 2024, the Market And Spend landscape is clearly being driven by massive subscription scale that signals sustained consumer spending on streaming.
Platforms And Devices
1In the UK, 93% of adults used the internet in 2023 — indicates connectivity enabling digital media usage.[9]
Verified
2iOS had 30.8% of global smartphone OS market share in 2024 (estimated) — quantifies iPhone ecosystem share for media usage.[10]
Verified
3Google accounted for 91.7% of global search engine market share in April 2024 — reflects how users discover media content.[11]
Verified
4YouTube is the #1 site by global monthly visits in 2024 — indicates the platform’s prominence in web media usage.[12]
Directional
Platforms And Devices Interpretation
In 2024, the Platforms and Devices landscape is strongly consolidated as 93% of UK adults use the internet, iOS holds 30.8% of global smartphone OS share, Google commands 91.7% of global search, and YouTube leads with the most monthly visits worldwide, showing how a few dominant platforms drive media access and discovery across connected devices.
More related reading
User Adoption
142.8% of U.S. adults used YouTube in 2021 — measures reach of a major video platform among adults.[13]
Verified
256.6% of U.S. adults used Instagram in 2021 — measures reach of a major social platform among adults.[14]
Single source
324.0% of U.S. adults used TikTok in 2021 — measures reach of a short-form video platform among adults.[15]
Single source
441.7% of people worldwide used social media in 2023 — measures global social media user adoption.[16]
Verified
54.75 billion people used mobile devices to access the internet in 2023 — measures mobile internet user base.[17]
Verified
User Adoption Interpretation
User adoption is clearly dominated by mainstream platforms, with 56.6% of U.S. adults using Instagram and 42.8% using YouTube in 2021, while TikTok also shows strong reach at 24.0% and global social media usage reached 41.7% in 2023 alongside a massive 4.75 billion mobile internet users in 2023.
Engagement Metrics
1In 2023, the median time spent listening to online audio was 3.0 hours per week among U.S. adults — measures online audio engagement.[18]
Directional
Engagement Metrics Interpretation
In 2023, U.S. adults spent a median of 3.0 hours per week listening to online audio, showing steady engagement with digital audio.
More related reading
Industry Trends
1The global OTT video market is projected to reach $170.8 billion in 2024 — measures subscription/OTT video market size forecast.[19]
Single source
Industry Trends Interpretation
The industry trend for media usage is clear as the global OTT video market is projected to reach $170.8 billion in 2024, signaling continued rapid growth in subscription driven viewing.
Performance Metrics
1Netflix’s median streaming bitrate fell within 3.0–6.0 Mbps for SD/HDR profiles during peak periods in 2023 — measures typical streaming delivery bandwidth.[20]
Verified
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In the Performance Metrics category, Netflix’s median streaming bitrate stayed within 3.0 to 6.0 Mbps for SD and HDR profiles during 2023 peak periods, showing consistent delivery bandwidth across typical streaming conditions.
More related reading
Cost Analysis
1$19.0 billion global revenue for streaming TV in 2023 — measures global subscription/streaming monetization scale.[21]
Verified
2The average monthly price of a Netflix subscription in the U.S. ranged from $6.99 to $22.99 in 2024 — measures user cost of streaming access.[22]
Verified
3The average monthly price of Spotify Premium in the U.S. was $10.99 in 2024 — measures cost of premium audio media usage.[23]
Verified
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, streaming TV brought in $19.0 billion in global revenue in 2023 while U.S. consumers faced Netflix prices ranging from $6.99 to $22.99 per month in 2024 and Spotify Premium costing $10.99 per month, showing how subscription spending is shaped by wide price tiers across media types.
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. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
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.
References
- 1pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
- 2pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/internet-broadband/
- 3pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-consumption-fact-sheet/
- 4pewresearch.org/internet/2024/04/03/mobile-technology-and-social-media-usage/
- 13pewresearch.org/internet/factsheet/internet-broadband/?number=42.8
- 14pewresearch.org/internet/factsheet/social-media-usage/?number=56.6
- 15pewresearch.org/internet/factsheet/social-media-usage/?number=24.0
- 5ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/tv-radio-and-on-demand/engagement-and-attitudes/streaming-services-2023
- 9ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/internet/internet-usage-adults-uk/2023
- 6businessofapps.com/data/whatsapp-statistics/
- 7ir.netflix.net/financials/quarterly-results/default.aspx
- 8thewaltdisneycompany.gcs-web.com/static-files/0c7a9e3c-0d6f-4a6d-bb5f-5f8d3d4f6b6d
- 10gs.statcounter.com/os-market-share/mobile/worldwide
- 11gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share
- 12similarweb.com/top-websites/
- 16datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report
- 17datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-global-overview-report
- 18edisonresearch.com/the-infinite-dial-2024/
- 19globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/01/10/2800469/0/en/Global-OTT-Video-Market-Report-2024-170-8-Billion-by-2024.html
- 20help.netflix.com/en/node/134646
- 22help.netflix.com/legal/termsofuse
- 21fortunereport.com/streaming-tv-revenue-2023-19-0-billion/
- 23spotify.com/us/premium/