Young adults are more likely to be spectators than participants in the political process, according to a new Pew Research Center survey on news, politics, religion and civil life.
The poll found that while older adults are more likely to vote, donate money or join groups, nearly half of young people under the age of 30 prefer to engage politically by liking or sharing news content online.
Older adults — especially those over the age of 50 — were more likely to read or watch the news, but young people still have high rates of news consumption. More than 6-in-10 U.S. adults ages 18 to 29 say they follow national news and have liked or saved posts about news online in the past week.
The poll, which was also supported by the Knight Foundation, surveyed 5,393 people between July and December 2025 over the phone, online and through the mail. The survey was conducted in English and in Spanish.
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