Mapped: Social Media Use Among Europe’s Youth

Mapped: Where Young Adults Use Social Media Most in Europe

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Social media use among young adults (aged 16–29) in Europe is nearing saturation, with many countries approaching universal adoption.

But two of Europe’s largest economies stand apart.

Data from Eurostat and Ofcom shows a clear gap. While countries in Northern Europe and the Balkans lead, major economies like Germany (84.2%) and Italy (80.3%) lag behind their peers.

Nearly Universal Adoption With Two Exceptions

In countries like Denmark or Czechia, social media use is close to universal among young adults.

Germany and Italy break from this pattern, highlighting how cultural and structural factors continue to shape digital behavior.

Below is the full ranking of 34 European countries by social media use among young adults:

Rank	Country	Use of Social Networks in 2025 among young adults
1	Cyprus	98.3
2	North Macedonia	97.7
3	Czechia	97.2
4	Serbia	97.2
5	UK	97.0
6	Denmark	96.9
7	Finland	96.6
8	Austria	96.1
9	Montenegro	96.1
10	Switzerland	95.8
11	Norway	95.7
12	Ireland	94.4
13	Netherlands	94.2
14	France	93.9
15	Latvia	93.8
16	Turkey	93.4
17	Romania	92.1
18	Malta	91.9
19	Spain	91.6
20	Portugal	91.6
21	Estonia	91.4
22	Hungary	91.1
23	Slovenia	91.0
24	Croatia	90.7
25	Greece	90.6
26	Poland	90.5
27	Lithuania	89.8
28	Bulgaria	89.4
29	Slovakia	88.7
30	Sweden	88.4
31	Belgium	88.3
32	Luxembourg	84.8
33	Germany	84.2
34	Italy	80.3
—	Average	92.4

Cyprus and North Macedonia have the highest rates of young-adult social media use in Europe, followed closely by Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Serbia, and the United Kingdom.

In these countries, social media functions as essential infrastructure, used for everything from coordinating study groups to maintaining social circles. Being offline can make young people effectively invisible in networks that increasingly operate online.

Germany and Italy: The Exceptions

While social media use exceeds 90% across much of Europe, Germany and Italy stand apart.

Germany, Europe’s largest economy, has 84.2% of young adults on social media, well below many of its neighbors. Italy is lower still at 80.3%, meaning one in five young adults are not on any social platform, the highest share on the continent.

In Germany, stricter privacy norms shaped by GDPR have contributed to a more cautious approach to online presence. Policymakers are even considering restrictions on youth access, with leaders citing the dangers of online socialization.

In Italy, lower usage may reflect a stronger role for offline social life. Everyday interactions, from evening strolls to time spent in cafes, continue to provide alternatives to digital connection.

Migration’s Relationship With Social Media

High social media use in the Balkans is partly linked to emigration.

Roughly a quarter of Western Balkan citizens, for example, move abroad in search of higher wages and better job opportunities. For families split across different countries or even different continents, social media plays a key role in maintaining communication.

Diaspora has helped social media usage overcome the digital skepticism seen in countries like Germany or Italy.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out the We’re Spending More Time Watching Videos on Social Media on Voronoi.

• Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-where-young-adults-use-social-media-most-in-europe/