Is social network X falling out of favour with Americans?

Things could be going better for X, the social network formerly known as Twitter. Elon Musk’s platform is facing a further decline in user interest. In fact, according to an American study, X lost 30% of its users between 2023 and 2024.

Internet users no longer seem to have as much interest in using X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter, according to the latest Edison Research “Infinite Dial” report on digital media usage, conducted in January 2024 among 1,086 Americans aged 12 and over.

Indeed, the platform is experiencing a decline in usage. According to the report, 19% of Americans surveyed said they currently use the social network X (formerly Twitter) in 2024, compared with 27% in 2023. This is a significant drop, since according to Edison Research, this would translate into an estimated loss of 22 million users. The report counts 77 million users of the platform in 2023, compared to 55 million in 2024.

While X may be floundering, this is not the case for all social networks – starting with Facebook, which, despite its less than stellar reputation, remains the most widely used social media in the United States. Around two-thirds of Americans over the age of 12 (63%) report using the platform. This figure has remained stable over the past two years. Instagram comes second with 44%, followed by TikTok (35%). The X platform is in seventh place, behind Pinterest, LinkedIn and Snapchat.

At generational level, 12- to 34 year-olds largely favour Instagram, followed by TikTok and Facebook. The older generation is more drawn to Facebook, which is still very present in the daily lives of 35- to 54-year-olds and 55+-year-olds.

X, on the other hand, has a harder time finding a place in the lives of users, across all generations. The platform lags far behind among 12- to 34 year-olds and 55+-year-olds, and comes in fifth place among 35- to 54-year-olds.

Other studies have already reported a slowdown for social network X. Apptopia, for example, reported a 13% drop in daily active users since Elon Musk’s takeover. Meanwhile, SimilarWeb revealed a 14% drop in the social network’s web traffic.

According to the Edison Research report, 82% of the US population aged 12 and over – or around 235 million people – currently ever use social media in 2024. – AFP Relaxnews