Gen Z uses social media daily for hours, but almost half wish some of the apps had never been invented

Generation Z is the first age group ever to grow up with social media. Yet, despite using it for hours every day, they have a divided relationship with it.

Which applications are meant? In a scientific survey of 1,006 representatively selected young people aged between 18 and 27 (Gen Z) conducted by social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt in collaboration with the portal The Harris Poll, interesting findings emerged.

For even though they have been using the apps for a long time (more on that below), nearly half of them would have preferred never to have come across some of them:

• 50 percent X, formerly Twitter
• 47 percent TikTok
• 43 percent Snapchat

21 percent would even be happy if smartphones had never been invented.

Divided relationship: Gen Z and social media

How long does Gen Z use smartphones? According to their responses, the surveyed young people predominantly consider themselves heavy users of social media.

• 3 hours or less: 38 percent
• 4 to 6 hours: 39 percent
• 7 or more hours: 23 percent

The authors of the study also include applications like YouTube here, where interaction is only secondary for some and the pure consumption of videos plays the main role.

What relationship do young people have with social media? The researchers also ask about terms that are emotionally associated with social media:

• 94 percent name entertainment as well as connection/exchange
• 57 percent also feel “isolation” and boredom
• 82 percent also think of “dependency” when it comes to social media

In general, more women mention negative words than men. 8 out of 10 have already taken steps to reduce their own use of social media. This includes, for example, turning off notifications.

You can read more results from the detailed study in detail on the portal of The Harris Poll.

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