A new report from the Pew Research Center highlights how strongly X (formerly Twitter) continues to hold its ground in the United States, even as new competitors try to challenge its position. While X is no longer one of the country’s largest social networks overall, it still dominates the real-time, text-based social media space a category where many rivals have tried, and mostly failed, to make an impact.
Threads and Bluesky Still Far Behind
Pew asked U.S. adults about emerging platforms like Threads and Bluesky for the first time. The findings reveal that both platforms are still in their early stages of adoption:
- 21% of U.S. adults say they have used X
- Only 8% have used Threads
- Just 4% have used Bluesky
- Truth Social has attracted 3%
This data shows that even with Meta’s massive ecosystem and marketing power, Threads still cannot match X’s influence. Bluesky, despite being an open-source decentralized alternative, remains a niche platform. Meanwhile, several Twitter competitors that launched soon after the Musk takeover — including Spill, Post, Hive, and T2 (Pebble) have already shut down, proving how difficult it is to replicate Twitter’s style and user engagement.
X Usage Has Remained Remarkably Stable
Many expected a major decline in usage after Elon Musk changed the platform’s moderation approach and shifted it in a more political direction. However, Pew’s data shows that the drop has been minimal:
- 23% of U.S. adults used Twitter in 2021
- 22% used X in early 2023
- 21% use X today
This slow, almost flat pattern suggests that despite controversies, the platform continues to retain its core user base. X remains the default choice for short-form, real-time conversations especially for news, politics, entertainment, and cultural discussions.
YouTube and Facebook Lead Overall Social Media Use
When looking at general social media adoption, the rankings shift dramatically. Pew found that:
- YouTube is used by 84% of U.S. adults
- Facebook is at 71%
- Instagram holds 50%
- TikTok is used by 37%
- WhatsApp by 32%
- Reddit by 26%
- Snapchat by 25%
Many of these platforms are still growing. TikTok has gone from 21% in 2021 to 37% today, while Instagram has jumped from 40% to 50%. WhatsApp and Reddit have also seen healthy increases, showing rising interest in messaging and community-driven platforms.
While adults rely heavily on YouTube and Facebook, U.S. teens prefer a different lineup. TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat remain the top choices for younger users, showing a generational shift in how social platforms are used.
