Social Media

About one-in-five (21%) Facebook users who took a break from the service say they did so because they were too busy and didn’t have time for it.

Associate Director for Research Kristen Purcell will join social media practitioners from local museums and arts organizations for a lively discussion about the value of social media to our institutions.

The growth of social media and the rapid adoption of internet-enabled mobile devices have changed the way Americans engage in the political process.

Young adults are more likely than older adults to use social media. Women, African-Americans, and Latinos show high interest in sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Our new report, "Coming and Going on Facebook," explores the phenomenon of people taking breaks from the sites and their reasons. On Feb. 5, 2013, Pew Research's Aaron Smith answered questions about the report on Facebook.

61% of Facebook users have taken a voluntary break from using the site at one time or another and 27% plan to spend less time on the site this coming year. Even so, two-thirds of online adults are now Facebook users.

35% of U.S. adults have gone online to figure out a medical condition; of these, half followed up with a visit to a medical professional.

Cultural organizations like theater companies, orchestras, and art museums are using the internet, social media, and mobile apps to draw in and engage audiences, provide deeper context, and disseminate their work beyond the stage and the gallery

Gun control was an immediate focus of the conversation on social media and in the opinion pages of newspapers following the shooting at Connecticut’s Sandy Hook Elementary School, according to a special PEJ report. How does the response to this tragedy compare with other shootings? How did coverage in opinion pieces differ than the social media conversation? The report offers answers.