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The Top 10 Social Media Platforms Tweens Use—and Why

Tweens are on social media earlier than ever, and it’s one of their biggest sources of entertainment…

Written and Edited by the YPulse Editorial Team

Apr 1 2026
North America

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Tweens are getting on social media earlier than any generation before, starting at 8-years-old on average
Video-first platforms are their most-used, drawing them in with entertaining content and creators
As tweens get older, more shift toward messaging platforms to connect with friends

Growing up, today’s tweens didn’t rely on cable TV as their main source of entertainment. Instead, their fun has always lived on tablets and smartphones, often through social media. From watching their favorite creators on YouTube to scrolling TikTok for viral dances or gaming streams, for years social media has been tweens’ playground, their TV, and sometimes their classroom, all in one. As a result, social media use is starting younger than ever: YPulse’s Social Media Monitor report shows teens (13-17) started using social media at 12-years-old on average and young adults (18-24) at 13-years-old. But YPulse’s Tween: Tech and...