The Connection Paradox: New Survey Research on Social Media, Video Games and Social Connection

This morning we released a new report on social media, video games and social connection based on data from a recent consumer survey of more than 3,100 US adults.

In The Connection Paradox, we report that people who use social media more and who play games more rate these platforms more highly for their benefits to their social connection than people who use them less, yet, paradoxically, greater use is associated with more loneliness.

The key findings of the report were:

• Forty-six (46%) of US adults are lonely. Loneliness is most prevalent among people aged 18–29 (55%), people earning less than $50,000 per year, people of Hispanic origin (51%) and women (50%).

• Heavier users of both social media and video games are more likely to be lonely than lighter users.

• Paradoxically, heavier users of both social media and video games rated their influence on social connection more positively than lighter users.

• Also, paradoxically, heavier users of social media are more likely to report that it has made them more connected to friends, family and neighbors than lighter users.

• People with higher incomes are less lonely and rate both social media and video games more positively on their influence on social connection.