Observed Signal · Oct 27, 2026 · Report Publication · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
70% of World Population Now Use Social Media
According to the 'Digital 2027' report by We Are Social and Meltwater, approximately 5.81 billion people, or 69.9% of the global population, actively use social media. This represents an annual increase of 151 million users (2.7%). Internet users spend an average of 19 hours and 18 minutes weekly on social media and online video platforms, up 3.8% year-on-year. YouTube leads in total time spent, while TikTok tops average daily usage at 1 hour 55 minutes per account. The report also highlights the growing influence of generative AI, with 3.24 billion monthly users (38.9% of global population), a 57% annual surge. ChatGPT remains the market leader, with Google's Gemini app quadrupling its active users. For 47% of internet users aged 16-24, social networks are the primary source for brand and purchase research, underscoring their importance for marketers.
The 'Digital 2027' report provides key data on social media usage and generative AI adoption, informing marketing strategies and highlighting the growing importance of social platforms and AI for brand reach.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- 5.81 billion people use social media, 69.9% of the world population.
- Internet users spend 19 hours 18 minutes weekly on social media and video platforms.
- YouTube leads in total time spent; TikTok has highest daily usage at 1h55m.
- 3.24 billion people use generative AI monthly, up 57% year-over-year.
- ChatGPT is market leader; Google's Gemini app quadrupled active users.
Connected Companies & Entities
6 Entities mapped“We Are Social and Meltwater published the 'Digital 2027' annual report.”
“YouTube is the platform with the highest total time spent.”
“WhatsApp and Instagram are among the top platforms by total time spent.”
“TikTok leads in average daily usage per active account at 1 hour 55 minutes.”
“ChatGPT, OpenAI's service, reaches nearly twice as many monthly active users as its closest competitors.”
“Google's Gemini app has quadrupled its active users within a year.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Digital 2026: Global Online Time & AI Surge
The Digital 2026 Global Overview Report by Meltwater and We Are Social highlights that over six billion people are online (73% of the world population) and about 70% engage with social media. On average, users spend 2 hours 23 minutes per day on social platforms, equating to roughly 18 hours 36 minutes per week. Mobile access dominates, with 96% of internet users online via mobile. More than a billion people worldwide monthly use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, signaling AI has become part of everyday digital life. The report draws on data from GWI, Statista, GSMA Intelligence, Similarweb, Kepios and others, emphasizing the intertwining of social, mobile and AI in everyday activities, including shopping and information seeking. It notes platform diversity and social ads’ impact on brand awareness among 16–34-year-olds, with many users active across multiple networks.
YouTube Developing Experimental Social App 'Tamba'
YouTube is reportedly developing an experimental social media platform called 'Tamba', according to an APK teardown by Android Authority. The analysis of YouTube version 21.44.534 revealed a separate application package (com.google.android.youtube.sandbox) with Tamba branding, suggesting a distinct product. The app appears to include social features such as following, private profiles, direct messaging (one-on-one and group), photo/video sharing, and reactions (hearts). It also integrates YouTube Shorts playback within chats. Visual assets include 38 custom icons in a playful style, indicating a full social interface. The project is internally labeled 'Project Sandbox', signaling an experimental phase. No official confirmation from YouTube or Google has been made, and launch timelines are unknown.
Amazon App Reveals Personal Inferences to Users
The Amazon app includes a hidden 'About You' page where the company lists inferences about customers based on purchase history, Alexa interactions, reviews, and search queries. A US customer, 'fangirlinmegan', discovered this feature and shared her profile on Threads, which showed surprisingly specific attributes like 'has a flat butt' and assumptions about Kindle ownership. The post went viral, prompting other users to share their own inferred profiles, which often included remarkably accurate personal traits. Amazon states this data is used to provide relevant product recommendations and allows users to view and edit such preferences. However, this feature is not available in Germany; German users can only manually enter preferences, though data collection continues. The story highlights the extent of consumer data profiling by major e-commerce platforms.
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