Social media users as a percentage of the total population Australia 2015-2022

There has been a continued upward trend in the population share of active social media users in Australia. As of February 2022, approximately 82.7 percent of the Australian population were active users compared to just 58 percent in 2015.

Preferred social media brands and most popular activities

Facebook was the most popular social media brand in Australia in 2019, with 56 percent saying they used the platform the most often. Elsewhere, 21 percent said they used Instagram and six percent used Snapchat.

Social media is used by Australians for a variety of activities. The most popular use is as a means of communication, with over half of users regularly sending private messages and 50 percent commenting on posts. Active users also post pictures and videos, with 38 percent of users saying they have posted visual content.

When do Australians use social media?

In 2018, most social media use took place during Australians free time; 61 percent said they used social media platforms in the evening, 59 percent were first thing in the morning users, and 42 percent said they logged on during breaks.

Interestingly, when it comes to users being banned from social media, just over half said in 2019 that they somewhat agree that bans are ineffective.