International Media

 

In a growing digital age, international mass media is becoming increasingly important in our society. Understanding how mass media can impact us on a global scale is important to protecting our information and helping us better understand the benefits and downfalls of using mass media on a daily basis. Sometimes it is easy to disregard other countries in comparison to mass media consumption in America, but some of the statistics may shock you.

One of the most impactful mass media is social media. As of last month, there are approximately 4.9 billion social media users in the world, making social media one of the largest global mass media sectors. How does America compare on the global stage of social media users?

America is ranked #3 after China and India for the highest number of social media users in the world, with a total of 302.25 million users. China is leading with 1,021.96 million users, followed by India with 755.47 million. 

One of the most interesting statistics about the leader of global social media is the "Great Firewall of China", which is used to regulate domestic internet and social media inside of China. This firewall restricts some of the most popular social media apps in the world: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Even with these restrictions, China has the most engaged social media market in the world with its own mediascape that mirrors a "domestically engineered platform".

These statistics help us gain a better understanding of the impact of social media, as well as a new insight into the global comparison in mass media consumption and distribution. Speaking of distribution, what is the leading social media app on the global market?

Unsurprisingly, Facebook is number one with over 2.95 million monthly users, followed by YouTube with 2.56 million users. Facebook is the most effective social media platform in the world through its extensive incorporation of media aspects and not catered to a specific demographic. 

Understanding the always-changing international media trends in the world gives us an insight into how people's behavior is evolving. International social media is one of the most impactful statistics that provide insight into the cultural globalization of mass media.