The numbers
Young Americans are 15× likelier than seniors to get political news mainly from social media
46% of adults under 30 said social media was their most common way to get political news. Among those 65 and older: 3%.
- Under 3046%
- 30–4923%
- 50–647%
- 65+3%
Why it matters
Two generations can follow the same election and see different stories. A campaign that buys only TV misses the young. One that lives only on social misses seniors, who reliably vote.
How we counted
Pew Research Center survey published Oct. 10, 2024: share of U.S. adults naming social media as their most common way of getting political news, by age. The 15× is 46 divided by 3.