According to the analytical report “Youth of Kazakhstan” for 2024, one of the most common ways young people spend their free time is through social networks. When asked about usage frequency, 66.2% of respondents said they use them regularly, 21.5% occasionally, 9.4% rarely, 1.9% had never used them, and 1.1% found it difficult to answer.
Spending leisure time on social media ranked as the second most popular activity among young people, after visiting their parents — a choice reported by 67.8% of respondents.
As for specific platforms and messengers, WhatsApp ranked first, used by 89.4% of respondents. Instagram (79.8%) and TikTok (63.9%) followed in second and third place. Less commonly used platforms included Telegram (24.6%), Facebook (9.1%), and VKontakte (4.7%). Another 0.3% of respondents said they do not use social networks or messaging apps at all.
Regarding the type of online content, young people most frequently watch informational (69.2%) and entertainment (60.6%) content. Engaging content involving discussion of current issues and interactivity interests 33.3% of respondents, advertising content — 25.7%, and viral content (memes) — 14.8%. Another 2.5% of respondents found it difficult to answer.
By age group, the youngest respondents (aged 14–18) most often mentioned entertainment (66.8%) and viral (21.2%) content. Those aged 19–23 preferred informational content (74.5%), while respondents aged 24–28 were more drawn to advertising (27%) and engaging (34.4%) content.
