The 2026 figures confirm the deep penetration of social media platforms in Spain, although they reveal highly heterogeneous usage patterns depending on demographics. First-generation platforms—Facebook, YouTube Xretain a large user base, albeit with very contrasting demographic profiles. Facebook, used by 58% of the sample, exhibits a profile older profile : its adoption rate reaches 72% among those over 65, in stark contrast to the mere 10% recorded among young people aged 18 to 24. YouTube 65%), on the other hand, sample more cross-sectional presence, though with a more pronounced male bias (69% men versus 61% women) and particular prominence in the 25- to 34-year-old segment, where it reaches 75%. Finally, X used by 22% of respondents; its profile predominantly male (30% compared to 15% of women) and it enjoys very strong penetration among users aged 25 to 34 (42%).
The second group visual and algorithmic platforms— Instagram TikTok—which are more closely associated with mobile use, images, short videos, and automated content recommendations. The former is used by 67% of respondents, and its profile clearly more female (74% among women versus 59% among men) and younger: it reaches 84% of those under 24, compared to 52% of those over 65. TikTok a lower adoption rate among the general population (43%), but is much more concentrated among younger age groups: it reaches 65% of those aged 18–24 and 58% of those aged 25–34.
WhatsApp deserves accredited specialization . Although it is often classified as a social media platform, it functions more as a private messaging service. It is the most widely used platform in Spain, with 89% weekly usage, and also one of the most cross-sectional: 87% of men and 91% of women use it, and there are hardly any differences by age. Usage stands at 91% among respondents aged 25 to 34 and at 89% among those over 55.
For informational purposes: Instagram Facebook are practically tied
The use of social media platforms for news in Spain sample 2026 sample some surprises. After a decade of declining prominence, Facebook partially rebounded and is chosen by 31% of respondents. However, Instagram slightly ahead, at 32%, cementing its position as one of the main platforms for accessing news. Together with WhatsApp (29%), these three networks belong to goal ecosystem goal account for a large share of news consumption on social media platforms and messaging services.
Its evolution over the past decade financial aid better understand this shift. Facebook one of the reference letter news platforms, but its trajectory reveals a very marked decline in prominence: it fell from 48% in 2018 to 24% in 2025, before partially recovering this year. Instagram the opposite trend. In 2017, it barely played a significant role in news consumption (6%), but by 2026 it reached 32% and is now in a virtual tie with Facebook—even slightly ahead. These two trends clearly reflect how information on network media has shifted from open, text-based network toward more visual, mobile, and algorithm-driven environments.
TikTok this same trend, although it still plays a secondary role. Its use for news consumption rose from 1% in 2020 to 16% in 2026—a very sharp increase that now places it on par with X 16%). Finally, YouTube at 19% of respondents. Taken as a whole, these data that there has been no cannibalization among social media platforms, but rather an increasingly balanced coexistence between first- and second-generation networks and private instant messaging platforms.
The analysis by age group confirms and highlights the differences observed in the digital ecosystem. Instagram established Instagram as a primary source for young adults, reaching a penetration rate of 51% among those aged 18 to 24 and 44% in the 25-to-34 age group; conversely, its relevance drops significantly to 22% among those over 65. TikTok concentrates its news content among younger users, peaking among those aged 25 to 34 (30%), closely followed by those aged 18 to 24 (27%), in contrast to the mere 10% recorded among those over 65. Facebook the patron saint : its use for news is marginal among young people (3% in the group to 24-year-old group
years), while it enjoys strong acceptance among older users, with 40% of users over the age of 65. Finally, WhatsApp stands out as one of the platforms with the most cross-sectional use for news, maintaining stable percentages that increase slightly with age: it registers 30% among those aged 25 to 34 and reaches its highest levels among those over 55 (32%) and over 65 (35%).
Gender disparities in the use of digital platforms for news consumption persist as a distinctive feature of the Spanish media ecosystem. YouTube X established X as platforms with a marked male bias: on the video platform, news consumption stands at 23% among men compared to 15% among women, while on X gap widens significantly (23% versus 9%). In contrast, Instagram a patron saint female patron saint , with a penetration rate of 36% among women compared to 27% among men. Facebook, on the other hand, shows a nearly equal distribution (31% among women and 30% among men), while WhatsApp shows a slight male prevalence (31% versus 27%). Finally, TikTok sample slightly higher preference among female users (18%) compared to male users (14%).
Intentional or Incidental: How News Is Consumed on Each Platform
Although news consumption is widespread across the entire social ecosystem, data from 2026 reveal a clear dichotomy between platforms geared toward the active search for information and those that encourage exhibition . YouTube X established X as the platforms with patron saint most intentional patron saint : the majority of their users who seek news—54% and 51%, respectively—report accessing these platforms with the purpose of checking the news.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, Instagram, Facebook TikTok primarily as platforms for incidental consumption. On these platforms, approximately six out of ten users come across news content while engaged in other activities. On Instagram, patron saint predominates at 60%, compared to 35% who report actively seeking out content. TikTok , for its part, TikTok a similar trend, with accidental access reaching 59% compared to 36% for intentional access. Finally, on Facebook, 60% of those who consume news do so incidentally, while 37% access it in a conscious and targeted manner.
This distinction has substantial implications for understanding the nature of exhibition . While intentional consumption is characterized by being selective and conscious, the modality is contingent on each platform’s context of use, automated recommendations, and the appearance of content not deliberately sought out. The fact that platforms such as Instagram, Facebook TikTok their central role in information dissemination under a patron saint incidental patron saint raises important questions about the configuration of the information ecosystem that is taking shape.
Compared to the other 47 countries analyzed, Spain stands profile . The most pronounced gap is evident in the use of Facebook YouTube news sources: Spain registers 31% on Facebook to a average of 47%, and 19% on YouTube the average of 31%; on both platforms, Spain ranks 41st out of 48, confirming its low news penetration in these environments. Conversely, Spain outperforms the average on Instagram 32% versus 24%), WhatsApp (29% versus 21%), and, most notably, on X 16% versus 11%). Finally, TikTok slightly below the average (16% versus 18%), although it is closing the gap compared to previous figures.
