Professor Amanda Lotz
Australians’ social media use is far more varied, private and personalised than previously thought, according to a QUT Digital Media Research Centre study.
The Australian Media Uses Report: Social Media & YouTube 2026 drew on a survey of 2,146 people that modelled Australian audiences in order to map how people are engaging with digital platforms and the internet in their everyday media consumption.
The report found YouTube to be considered as functioning less like traditional social media and more like a vast “video encyclopedia”.
It also found private messaging to be the most popular feature of the majority of social media platforms, bar Tiktok.
News was considered to be the least important component of social media usage.
“When we talk about ‘using social media’, we’re actually talking about many different activities,” said lead author Amanda Lotz.
“Our data shows most Australians prioritise private messaging and content from accounts they follow. Public posting is rare, and news makes up only a tiny fraction of what people see, and many don’t see any at all.”
The report found 87% of Australians used social media, but found only Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Shorts were used by more than half of the respondents.
Private messaging was reported as the most valued feature on the platform with 71% of persons rating it as important, but this did not extend to TikTok where users favoured algorithm-driven recommendations and search functions.
Six out of ten Australians reported receiving 80% of their media diet via the internet, despite one in five people experiencing daily problems with access.
Co‑author Gabriela Lunardi highlighted the diversity of Australian media curation.
“Two people using the same platform can have completely different experiences,” Dr Lunardi said.
“Interviewees showed us feeds dominated by friends, others by hobbies, and some with no news at all. This diversity is why public conversations about social media often feel disconnected from the lived experience of most individuals.”
The report found that while YouTube was used by 85% of Australians, interviewees consistently rejected the idea that the platform could be categorised as ‘social media’.
The survey data indicated that information-based videos, including tutorials, how‑to guides, and factual content, were the most important category for YouTube users, accounting for around half of estimated viewership.
“YouTube has become a go‑to resource for solving problems and learning new things,” Professor Lotz said.
“It’s less like television and more like a global reference library.”
The study also revealed the extent to which Australians now rely on the internet for media access.
“Whether in major cities or remote regions, Australians depend on the internet for most of their media,” Dr Lunardi said.
“But many still face reliability issues that affect their ability to access essential information. Almost 20 per cent of our respondents reported daily internet problems.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.