Pew Survey: Views of Social Media Worsened in All 37 Countries — 64% of U.S. Adults Say It Hurts Democracy

A new Pew Research Center study shows public opinion of social media has soured worldwide. Across a 37-nation survey, sentiment about social media's impact declined in every country since Pew last asked in 2022 — and adults are more worried than teens.

Key findings

• 64% of U.S. adults say social media is bad for democracy, one of the more negative results in the survey.
• People in wealthier nations are more likely to see a negative influence.
• Still, 55% of respondents overall believe social media has had a positive impact on democracy, and young adults are more likely to see it as beneficial.

Broad support for teen restrictions

A separate Pew report found 82% of Australian adults support restricting kids' access to social media, with support rising by age. Majorities of adults in the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Norway and Sweden also back teen social media restrictions.

Why sentiment is shifting

Critics argue engagement-driven algorithms amplify argumentative, emotional posts and deepen social division. With most voters favoring restrictions, more teen social media rules look likely.

What it means for brand marketers

1. Review teen-targeted strategy. Age limits could make youth-focused social ads and influencer campaigns harder to run; plan other touchpoints.
2. Choose usefulness over outrage. Provocation-driven engagement becomes a brand risk as trust in platforms falls.
3. Invest in owned channels. Search-driven content and newsletters are less exposed to platform shifts.

For more on digital fatigue, read Pinterest Tells Brands to Send People 'Back Into Their Life'. On reading survey data carefully, see Can AI Synthetic Respondents Replace Market Research?