Does China or US citizens view more social media?

The Global Gold Rush for Eyeballs

World Population Review

Once fueled by oil, the world now runs on attention. With more than 6.6 hours of daily screen time globally, and upwards of 9 hours in countries like the 🇵🇭 Philippines and 🇧🇷 Brazil, the attention economy is booming.

But it’s not just about quantity—platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are tailoring your feed in real time. In 🇰🇷 South Korea, TikTok usage has grown 95% year-over-year, while 🇸🇪 Sweden shows resilience with continued preference for podcasts and newsletters over short-form loops.

📱 Fun fact: TikTok’s algorithm makes adjustments based on your behavior in under 0.5 seconds—yes, even a pause can trigger a content shift.

🇺🇸 United States: Scroll Capital of the World

The U.S. isn’t just the birthplace of modern social media—it’s also one of its heaviest users.

Americans spend an average of 2.5+ hours daily on social media, with YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok leading the race. The generational divide is stark: Gen Z leans toward lightning-fast content, while Boomers still enjoy long-form posts and email newsletters.

Meanwhile, platforms like TikTok Shop and YouTube monetization have turned content creation into a legitimate livelihood—driving a parallel economy where creators build influence and income simultaneously.

🔍 Did you know? 70% of Gen Z now discovers new products from creators rather than traditional ads.

🇨🇳 China: Algorithmic Precision Meets National Strategy

China's digital ecosystem is a masterclass in controlled engagement.

Platforms like Douyin (China’s version of TikTok) command 700+ million users, but with a twist: the algorithm promotes educational and patriotic content during key hours for youth. It’s attention with intent.

Meanwhile, 🇨🇳 WeChat remains a digital Swiss Army knife—combining chat, news, payments, and education in a single platform opened every 6 minutes on average.

📊 Staggering stat: In a single week, Chinese users consumed 14 billion hours of short-form video.