Generational warfare online? Social media use and intergroup attitudes in a national survey

Content analyses document vitriolic generational discourse across social media platforms, yet surveys reveal moderate attitudes among the public. Does social media exposure create extreme generational attitudes? Using nationally representative survey data (n=1,221), this study examines whether total social media use and platform-specific usage patterns correlate with generational self-identification and intergroup attitudes among American adults. Results reveal limited associations with even frequent users not exhibiting greater generational antagonism. Platform-specific analyses reveal few significant effects, though YouTube use is associated with more favorable attitudes toward other generations. These largely null findings suggest extreme online discourse does not reflect typical users’ attitudes, implying that reasons for extreme discourse are connected to visibility mechanisms, such as algorithmic amplification and creators’ strategic performance. The study also demonstrates the risks of inferring population attitudes from content analysis.