We all know Massachusetts residents who are addicted to their phones. You might even classify yourself as a member of that group.
For better or worse, social media has become deeply embedded in American culture, prompting many to advocate for regulations and additional research.
Hennessey Digital, a digital marketing agency, recently released a report ranking the states with the highest social media usage. Make a guess where Massachusetts falls.
Methodology
Hennessey Digital analysed monthly search volumes for popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Researchers divided the data by state and calculated search volumes per 100,000 people.
These were the findings, beginning with the state most addicted to social media.
1: Oregon
Oregon is the most social media-obsessed state in America. During the 12-month study period, Beaver State residents conducted 140,376 searches per 100,000 people for social media websites.
YouTube had the highest search volume in the state, followed by Facebook and Instagram.
2: Maine
In Maine, the majority of searches were for Facebook, with YouTube and Instagram following closely behind.
The Pine Tree State had an overall search volume of 138,460.
3: Massachusetts
Hennessey Digital researchers discovered Massachusetts residents searched for social media 138,266 times per 100,000 people.
YouTube was the top search in the Bay State, with 53,691 searches.
4: New York
New York had 138,163 searches per 100,000 people.
YouTube is the most popular app in the Empire State, but Instagram and Facebook also rank high.
5: Washington
Washingtonians love YouTube, with over 53,000 searches per 100,000 people.
The overall volume of social media searches in the Evergreen State was 136,373.
6: Virginia
In Virginia, the total number of social media searches was 135,893.
The majority of people searched for YouTube, but Instagram and Facebook were also popular.
7: Maryland
Maryland residents searched for social media sites 135,873 times per 100,000 people.
YouTube was the favorite, with over 54,000 average monthly searches.
8: Georgia
There were 134,690 social media site searches per 100,000 Georgia residents.
Lt. Governor Burt Jones recently proposed legislation to protect Georgia’s children on social media by requiring school boards to adopt protective social media policies.
9: New Hampshire
In 2023, Governor Chris Sununu issued an executive order to look into the harmful effects of social media on children.
According to Hennessey Digital research, the Granite State averages 133,911 social media searches per 100,000 residents.
10: North Carolina
North Carolina has 133,110 average monthly social media searches per 100,000 people.
According to a recent survey conducted by North Carolina’s High Point University, 83% of residents use social media, but only 21% believe it is beneficial.
Everyone’s On It
According to Statista, there are over 302 million social media users in the United States, with a 92% penetration rate.
In other words, the obsession with social media is widespread, not just in the states listed here.
Not a Good Thing
Though almost everyone appears to have a social media account on at least one of the major platforms, the majority of Americans do not view social media as beneficial.
According to the Pew Research Centre, 64% of Americans believe social media has a mostly negative impact on how things are going in the country.
The Big Concerns
Pew Research polling also revealed what Americans find concerning about social media.
The main issues were misinformation, hatred, harassment, and the formation of echo chambers.
Especially For Teens
While Americans appear to be concerned about the impact of social media on the country as a whole, many researchers are particularly concerned about its effects on adolescents.
According to the US Surgeon General, 95% of children aged 13 to 17 use social media.
Warning
The United States Surgeon General warned that social media has a particularly negative impact on the developing brains of teenage users.
He stated that teens who spend more than three hours per day on social media have a higher rate of mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression.
Current Average Use
According to surveys, teenagers spend more than three hours a day on social media.
The current average, according to the Surgeon General’s report, is 3.5 hours, and many teens report being on social media platforms “almost constantly.”
Risk to Adults, Too
Reports suggest that social media’s negative mental health effects spread to many grown-ups, too.
A recent survey by U.S. News and World Report found that most users, regardless of age, said social media amplified their feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
Not All Bad
There is a lot of research that shows how bad social media is, but experts also say it has benefits.
In an interview with the Columbia School of Public Health, psychologists stated that social media platforms are important for socialisation and relationship building.
Finding Yourself
According to experts, social media allows adolescents to discover who they are.
They did, however, warn that social media may provide inaccurate depictions of what society expects, which can be harmful to teenagers trying to establish their identity.
Fixing Social Media
In 2021, MIT hosted a social media summit to address the issues surrounding social media use and brainstorm potential solutions.
They published a public report based on their recommendations.
One suggestion from the MIT summit was to tighten regulations on social media platforms. Researchers propose that the United States collaborate with the European Union to create government regulations that benefit social media users.
Changing the Advertising Model
Another suggestion from the summit was to consider abandoning the advertising model, which creates a “attention economy.” Instead, they suggested looking into subscription options.
However, as one researcher pointed out, it would be problematic if the best information were kept behind a paywall.
Slow Interactions
“Part of the problem is frictionless systems that allow users to easily retweet and share this kind of (mis)information,” one expert at the Summit stated.
They proposed ways to slow down interactions, forcing people to think more before posting or sharing.
Data Transparency
The experts at the MIT summit also emphasised the importance of algorithmic transparency.
If researchers can analyse social media data without revealing personal user information, they will be able to better understand malicious behaviour and propose solutions to prevent it.
Meta-owned platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, do not readily share usage information with researchers.
