More Americans are using TikTok, turning to the platform for entertainment and news, even as support for banning the app has declined, according to new data from Pew Research Center.
About 37% of U.S. adults say they use TikTok, up from 21% in 2021. That growth makes it one of the few major platforms to see sustained gains in recent years.
Usage remains highest among young people. Roughly 63% of adults under 30 say they use TikTok, compared with 44% of those ages 30 to 49, 30% of those 50 to 64 and 12% of adults 65 and older.
Among teens ages 13 to 17, 68% report using TikTok. About one-in-five teens say they are on the platform “almost constantly.” Black and Hispanic teens are more likely than White teens to describe that level of use, and teen girls are slightly more likely than teen boys to say the same.
Entertainment drives most adult use. In a 2024 Pew-Knight Initiative study, 95% of adult TikTok users said entertainment is a reason they use the platform, and 81% called it a major reason. Smaller shares said they use it to connect with people who share their interests (65%), look at product reviews (62%) or keep up with sports and pop culture (53%).
News also plays a growing role. About 55% of adult TikTok users say they regularly get news on the app. That equals 20% of all U.S. adults, up sharply from 3% in 2020.
Younger adults are especially likely to get news there. About 43% of adults ages 18 to 29 say they regularly get news on TikTok, compared with 3% of those 65 and older. Women are more likely than men to say they get news on the platform, and Hispanic and Black Americans report higher rates than White and Asian Americans. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are slightly more likely than Republicans to say they get news on TikTok.
Even so, users report seeing more humor and opinions about current events than traditional news content. Large majorities say they encounter funny posts and commentary, while smaller shares say they see news articles or breaking news.
At the same time, public support for banning TikTok has fallen. In spring 2023, 50% of U.S. adults supported a government ban. By 2025, that number had dropped to 34%.
Republicans remain more likely than Democrats to support a ban, but backing has declined in both parties. Those who favor a ban most often cite concerns about data security and the company’s Chinese ownership, while opponents commonly point to free speech concerns.
Pew researchers also found that a relatively small group of users produces most TikTok content. In a 2023 study of publicly accessible videos from U.S. adults, 98% of videos came from the most active 25% of users. Overall, 52% of adult TikTok users say they have ever posted a video on the platform.
The findings come as TikTok’s U.S. operations shift to a new venture backed largely by non-Chinese investors, easing concerns that had fueled calls for a nationwide ban.
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