New Delhi: In the age of fraying social ties, nearly four in 10 Americans are building community online. For many younger adults, these digital spaces feel as real as the ones offline.
A new Pew Research Center survey from the Pew-Knight Initiative finds that 36% of adults in the United States belong to at least one online community. Among those aged 18 to 29, the figure jumps to 48%. The survey, consisting of 9750 U.S. adults conducted 26 May to 1 June, noted that the online community spaces deliver information, fun, advice, and a sense of uniqueness that many say they cannot find elsewhere. However, doubts linger about whether online relationships can match the depth of in-person ones.
“About half of Americans question whether online relationships can be as meaningful as those formed in person,” the report read.
Only 34% believe they can be just as meaningful, with 54% of adults under 30 saying online ties can equal offline ones, and just 14% of those aged 65 and older.
Social media platforms host the largest share of these communities. About a quarter of Americans said they belong to one on sites or apps like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok. Discussion forums such as Reddit, Nextdoor or Discord follow at 15%. Smaller shares participate via video platforms like YouTube and Twitch, online video game, messaging apps like WhatsApp, or hobby-specific sites such as Goodreads, Strava, Ravelry or Letterboxd.
Hobbies and local interests dominate the subject matter. Roughly one in five adults report belonging to a community centered on hobbies or their local area. About one-tenth are in groups focused on movies, books or TV shows; video games; work or profession; or fan communities of any kind. Politics-specific communities are less common, with about 8% of adults saying they belong to one.
Young adults stand out across several categories. 27% of those under 30 are in video-game communities, far higher than older groups.
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Looking for community
People turn to these spaces primarily for practical and enjoyable reasons. Roughly eight in ten of those in online communities say they visit their most-frequented one to stay informed, for fun, or for recommendations and advice. Majorities also cite sharing thoughts or seeking support. About half of them go because they feel accepted. Fewer mention meeting new people or drama. Young adults are notably more likely to seek acceptance, new connections, or drama.
“Most go to them for information, fun or advice. Fewer go to them for acceptance or meeting people,” the report observed.
Feelings of closeness vary widely. About 18% of participants say they feel extremely or very close to others in their main community; another 37% feel somewhat close. Nearly half do not feel very close, with 14% feeling no closeness at all. Most members knew few or none of the people there when they joined.
Still, engagement rate is high, with 56% visiting their primary community daily, and 74% having posted or shared there. About 36% of these most-visited spaces also organize in-person gatherings. 85% of those in online communities belong to more than one.
Politics rarely dominates the conversation. 71% of members say they see little or no political content in the community they visit most often.
“Many think politics doesn’t belong in the space they visit most — 54% say this,” the findings noted.
When politics appears, it is more often familiar material than new information, and people more frequently encounter a mix of views or ones they agree with than ones they strongly oppose. Liberal Democrats are more open to politics in these spaces and more likely to belong to politics-focused communities.
Not everyone stays. About a third of U.S. adults say they have left an online community at some point. Losing interest is by far the most common reason, with other common reasons including declining quality, life changes, too much arguing, harassment, too much politics, and spending too much time there..
Overall, about seven in ten people who belong to online communities say the spaces add at least some value to their lives, including 27% who say they add a great deal or quite a bit. 63% describe their primary community as something they could only find online.
“These communities often offer unique value,” the report concludes. “For many, their go-to space is something they can only get online.”