Verified Confidence: medium
Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.
Safe rephrasing
In GWI's 2025 survey, 17.4% of social media users 16+ worldwide named WhatsApp their favourite platform, ahead of Instagram (16.4%) and Facebook (13%).
What the source says
At a worldwide level, social media users aged 16 and above are most likely to identify WhatsApp as their “favourite” social media platform, with 17.4 percent of respondents – 1 in 6 – identifying Meta’s largest messaging platform as their preferred option. Instagram ranks second with 16.4 percent of the vote, while Facebook completes Meta’s dominance of the top 3 spots, with 13 percent
DataReportal (Kepios), citing GWI — Digital 2026 Global Overview Report (published Oct. 2025)
- Commonly cited as
- "What is the world's favourite social app?"
- True origin
- DataReportal (Kepios), citing GWI — Digital 2026 Global Overview Report (published Oct. 2025)
- Type
- Reference fact: A frequently needed number or rule taken directly from a primary source (e.g. Pew, Census, IAB/PwC, FTC), with its as-of date.
- Year
- 2025
- Data as of
- GWI Q2 2025 survey
- Last checked
- Method & sample
- GWI online survey of internet users aged 16+ (Q2 2025), as reported by Kepios/DataReportal.
- Drift between quote and source
- Worldwide survey of internet users 16+; rankings differ by country
- Interest
- DataReportal reports are produced with Meltwater and We Are Social, which sell marketing services.