NATIONAL PULSE – We still scroll and share, but we don’t necessarily enjoy it
Half say social media negatively affects them personally, while ¾ say the same its of impact on society
By ANGUS REID INSTITUTE
April 13, 2026 – Once hailed as the future and saviour of communication for society, the ills of social media have become readily apparent to many Canadians, even as they continue to like, share, and scroll.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds that Canadians are still overwhelmingly enmeshed in the social media environment, but that many aren’t sure about the impact it’s having on them, personally, and on broader society.
At least half say they use Instagram (52%), YouTube (61%), and Facebook (71%), multiple times per week. But three-quarters (74%) also say social media companies are having a net negative impact on society, while approximately three-in-10 users of both Facebook (28%) and Twitter (28%) say they dislike the experience of using each.
Angus Reid Institute created an index based on responses to a number of questions about use and satisfaction with social media. One-in-five Canadians are Heavy and Happy users (22%). They nearly all use four or more social media platforms multiple times a week, and many use six or more. They have net positive views of all eight platforms discussed in this survey.
On the other end of the spectrum are a similar sized group, the Detached and Disapproving (19%). Nearly two-thirds of the DD use one or no social media apps on a weekly basis. They are overwhelmingly critical of the impact of the technology and the companies alike. Their less critical and more active spiritual compatriots are the Light and Leery (10% of Canadians). This group is still wary of getting too attached to social media, but do not meet the overly critical bar set by the Detached and Disapproving.
The largest group of Canadians fit into a sort of middle ground as those who use two to four platforms regularly but don’t love them – the Steady and Satisfied. They’re more critical of Twitter/X and TikTok than they are of YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.
One of the biggest disagreements among Canadians in this debate is social media’s necessity in staying up to date on their world. Half (48%) say it is integral and necessary, while the same number disagree (46%). Each of the four groups has distinct opinions that range from absolute necessity to totally unnecessary across the spectrum.
More Key Findings:
- The top benefits of social media, as chosen by Canadians, are staying connected with family and friends (72%), entertainment (52%), and access to news (44%)
- Misinformation (70%) is by far the top negative perception surrounding social media use, with excessive screen time and addiction (43%), and mental health issues (36%) rounding out the top three concerns
- Facebook remains the top option for weekly use (71%), ahead of YouTube (61%) and Instagram (52%).
- Eight-in-10 Canadians (80%) have a positive view of YouTube, well head of Instagram (54%), and Facebook (50%), suggesting some resentment of heavily used platforms. Twitter/X is viewed positively by just 24 per cent and negatively by 54 per cent
- Women, and especially those older than 54, are more likely to see the benefit of social media in staying connected with friends and family than men. More men view access to information as a key benefit of social media than women.
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