Pew Research: Online Communities Offer Value, but Closeness Is Limited

According to new research from Pew Research Center’s Pew-Knight Initiative, 40% of U.S. adults belong to an online community. Among those aged 18 to 29, that rises to 48%. People mainly visit these platforms for information, entertainment and advice. Meeting new people is less of a draw.

Around 70% of members say online communities add value to their lives. 60% say their most-visited community offers something they could only find online. 56% visit their main community daily, while 85% belong to more than one.

But participation does not always mean closeness. Only around 20% feel very or extremely close to others in their main community. Views on online relationships also vary sharply by age. Among adults under 30, 54% say relationships formed online can be as meaningful as those formed in person. Just 14% of those aged 65 and older agree.

For community builders, the findings suggest that usefulness matters. Shared interests, good advice and entertainment give people reasons to return. Boundaries matter too: 54% of members say politics does not belong in their main community. And the most common reason people leave? They lose interest.