Pew Research Center’s Post

Social media giant Facebook launched 20 years ago this week. Over the last two decades, the site has transformed the way people connect online, and its reach has grown to 3 billion monthly users worldwide. Here are five key facts about Americans and Facebook, based on Pew Research Center surveys.

Americans overwhelmingly see small businesses as having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country. By contrast, their views of large corporations are broadly negative. Most people – including identical shares in both parties – also are critical of the impact of banks and financial institutions. Dive into our findings:

In a fall 2021 Center survey, we asked Americans about the prospect of computer chip brain implants. Americans generally expressed cautious and negative views about the idea, but their opinions varied depending on how such chips might be used.

85% of Black adults say they are at least somewhat happy these days, according to a spring 2023 Pew Research Center survey. However, Black adults in upper-income families are about twice as likely as those in lower-income families (54% vs. 26%) to say they are extremely or very happy.

YouTube by and large remains the most widely used online platform measured in our survey (83%), with somewhat lower shares reporting use of Facebook (68%), Instagram (47%), Pinterest (35%), TikTok (33%), and LinkedIn (30%). Explore more: https://pewrsr.ch/3SEkBLT

Pew Research Center has long studied some kinds of tech adoption by interviewing Americans over the phone. But starting with the publications released today, we’ll be reporting on those data points using our National Public Opinion Reference Survey (NPORS) instead. The biggest difference: NPORS participants are invited by postal mail and can respond to the survey via a paper questionnaire or online, rather than by phone. Pew’s Monica Anderson and Colleen McClain explain why we made this change and the implications for our work: Explore our new publications here: https://pewrsr.ch/486g6yk

30% of Americans made at least one New Year’s resolution this year – almost a month into 2024, and most have kept them. Here are some key facts about the Americans who make New Year’s resolutions and why they make them. https://pewrsr.ch/3ucZMO7

At Pew Research Center, we get lots of questions about religiously unaffiliated Americans, often called the “nones.” What do “nones” believe? Are they opposed to religion? What are their views about science? Is their growth good or bad for society, and why? Dive in: https://pewrsr.ch/42f1laP

Americans’ views of the nation’s economy – while mostly stagnant for the past few years – are showing signs of improvement. 28% rate economic conditions as excellent or good, a 9-point increase from last April.