Social Media Canada: Why Canadians can't quit platforms they dislike

[CALGARY, AB] — Most Canadians are still on social media. Most of them also think it's making things worse. Both of those things are true at the same time, and a new report out today makes that contradiction impossible to ignore.

Still Scrolling, Still Skeptical

According to the Angus Reid Institute's April 13, 2026 report — titled "The State of Social: Canadians are still scrolling and sharing, but that doesn't mean they enjoy it" — at least half of Canadians use Instagram (52%), YouTube (61%), and Facebook (71%) multiple times per week. And yet, 74% of those same Canadians say social media companies are having a net negative impact on society.

Half — exactly 50% — say social media negatively affects them personally. Three-quarters say the same about its impact on the country at large. Roughly three-in-10 users of both Facebook and Twitter/X say they actively dislike using those platforms. They're still on them, though.

The Four Kinds of Canadian Scrollers

The Angus Reid Institute broke Canadians into four user segments based on usage and satisfaction. The Heavy and Happy (22%) use four or more platforms multiple times a week and hold net positive views across the board. At the other end, the Detached and Disapproving (19%) barely touch social media and are overwhelmingly critical of its impact. The Light and Leery (10%) are cautious but less hostile. And the largest group — the Steady and Satisfied — fall somewhere in the middle: two to four platforms, used regularly, not exactly loved.

That "Steady and Satisfied" majority is the telling part. Most Canadians aren't power users or abstainers. They're in the grey zone — habitual but ambivalent.

The Numbers Don't Lie, But They Do Contradict

The top perceived benefits: staying connected with family and friends (72%), entertainment (52%), and access to news (44%). The top concerns: misinformation (70%), excessive screen time and addiction (43%), and mental health impacts (36%).

On whether social media is even necessary to stay informed, Canadians are nearly split — 48% call it integral, 46% disagree. That's not a consensus. That's a standoff.

YouTube comes out the cleanest: 80% of Canadians view it positively. Instagram sits at 54%, Facebook at 50%. Twitter/X? Viewed positively by just 24% and negatively by 54%. Yet it remains in the weekly rotation for a significant share of users.

Where Ottawa Fits In Right Now

This report lands days after the federal Liberal Party passed a non-binding resolution at its April 11-12 convention to set 16 as the minimum age for social media access in Canada — with enforcement responsibility placed squarely on the platforms themselves. Prime Minister Mark Carney called the idea one that "merits an open and considered debate." Quebec MP Rachel Bendayan championed the resolution, citing youth mental health and platform accountability.

It's non-binding, which means it's a signal, not a law. Canada's more binding attempt — Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act — died on the Order Paper when Parliament dissolved in January 2025. No replacement legislation is currently in place.

For context, a prior Angus Reid poll from March 2026 found 75% of Canadians supported a full ban on social media for anyone under 16. Australia became the first country to actually enforce that kind of age limit in December 2025, with fines for non-compliant platforms. Canada is still at the "open debate" stage.

In the meantime, Canadians keep logging on — and largely wishing they felt better about it.