A new study from the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and Gallup reveals that heavy social media users are significantly less likely to view democracy as the best form of government. Among Americans who spend five or more hours daily on social platforms, only 57% rank democracy as optimal, compared to 72-73% of those using social media less than an hour daily or not at all.
The research suggests social media is fundamentally reshaping democratic engagement by expanding access to ideas while creating a more fractured information environment. Heavy users demonstrate concerning departures from traditional democratic norms, indicating how prolonged platform exposure may influence political attitudes and civic participation.