- Policymakers in some countries are seeking ways to help kids unplug from social media, but a new study reveals just how desperate adults in America are seeking refuge from social media, too.
- According to the data, Hawaii residents are the most eager to escape social media’s clutches, with 568 monthly searches for keywords related to deleting social media per 100,000 people on average.
- California is in second place, while Nevada follows in third.
Governments in the UK, the Netherlands, and France are considering restrictions on children’s social media use.
But it’s not just children who face the harmful effects of endless screen time; adults suffer, too.
A new study by healthcare publisher Recovered reveals just how frequently adults in America are seeking ways to quit the habit.
The researchers analyzed data from Google Keyword Planner to find the average number of monthly searches on a state and national level between April 2024 and March 2025 for keywords related to quitting social media. With this, they were able to establish where in America adults are most eager to delete social media platforms, and which platforms they are most keen to quit.
The platforms used for the analysis were Instagram, Facebook, X, Snapchat, Telegram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, Messenger, Threads, Pinterest, and WhatsApp. The search combinations used for the analysis included: “delete [platform],” “[platform] addiction,” “how to delete [platform] account,” “delete [platform] account,” “how to deactivate [platform]” and “how to leave [platform].”
To reduce the effects of population bias, a monthly search volume per 100,000 people was then calculated to rank the states with the most interest in deleting social media.
The 10 states most eager to quit social media
| Rank | State | Average Number of Monthly Searches | Average Number of Monthly Searches Per 100,000 People |
| 1. | Hawaii | 8,145 | 568 |
| 2. | California | 205,598 | 528 |
| 3. | Nevada | 16,810 | 526 |
| 4. | Georgia | 56,610 | 513 |
| 5.(=) | New York | 99,118 | 506 |
| 5.(=) | Texas | 154,388 | 506 |
| 6. | Colorado | 29,598 | 504 |
| 7. | Arizona | 37,221 | 501 |
| 8. | Washington | 39,048 | 500 |
| 9. | Virginia | 42,916 | 492 |
| 10. | Oregon | 20,124 | 475 |
Hawaii is the state most eager to quit social media, with 568 monthly Google searches per 100,000 people. On average, the state has a total of 8,145 searches for the keywords every month. The three keywords with the highest number of searches were “delete Instagram account,” “how to deactivate Instagram,” and “delete Facebook account.”
California is second, with 528 monthly searches for keywords related to a social-media-free lifestyle per 100,000 residents, and a monthly total of 205,598 searches on average. The keywords with the highest searches include “delete Instagram account,” “how to delete Instagram,” and “delete Facebook account.”
Nevada is in third place, with 526 monthly searches for every 100,000 people, and a total of 16,810 on average per month. The top three searched keywords in the state were “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook.”
Next is Georgia, which has an average of 513 searches every month per 100,000 residents, and a total of 56,610 searches a month. Georgia residents Googled “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook.”
New York and Texas share fifth position, with 506 monthly searches on average per 100,000 people in both states. In New York, there are 99,118 searches per month on average in total, where “delete Instagram account,” “how to deactivate Instagram” and “delete Facebook account” are the most Googled queries.
In Texas, there are a total of 154,388 searches every month on average for quitting social media, with “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook” being the top three searches in the state.
Colorado ranks sixth, with an average of 504 monthly searches for every 100,000 people and a monthly total of 29,598 searches in the last year. The most searched terms were “delete Facebook account,” “delete Instagram account,” and “deactivate Facebook.”
Arizona is the seventh most eager state to quit social media, with 501 monthly searches on average per 100,000 residents, and 37,221 in total every month. The three most searched keywords were “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook.”
Eighth on the list is Washington, with an average of 500 searches every month per 100,000 residents, and a monthly total of 39,048. “Delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook” were the top three most searched keywords in the state.
Virginia is in ninth spot, with an average of 492 monthly searches per 100,000 people, and a monthly total of 42,916 searches. The three most searched keywords in the state were “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook.”
Oregon completes the ranking, with 475 searches for terms related to quitting social media on average every month. In total, the state averages 20,124 searches each month, with “delete Instagram account,” “delete Facebook account,” and “deactivate Facebook” having the highest number of searches.
The social media platforms that Americans are most eager to quit
| Rank | Social Media Platform | Average Number of Monthly Searches |
| 1. | 545,449 | |
| 2. | 538,533 | |
| 3. | X | 155,862 |
| 4. | Snapchat | 88,234 |
| 5. | Telegram | 67,148 |
| 6. | TikTok | 28,526 |
| 7. | 27,663 | |
| 8. | YouTube | 17,384 |
| 9. | 17,234 | |
| 10. | Messenger | 16,909 |
| 11. | Threads | 8,300 |
| 12. | 7,195 | |
| 13. | 6,096 |
The study also ranked which social media platforms Americans most want to quit. Instagram tops the list with 545,449 average monthly searches for terms related to deleting or quitting the platform, while Facebook follows closely with 538,533 monthly searches. X, formerly known as Twitter, is next, with 155,862 searches every month on average.
James Wittams-Smith, founder of Recovered, commented:
“For those who engage with social media apps regularly, the process of scrolling and ingesting images, posting and receiving positive affirmations from others, and other stimuli creates the dopamine chemical in the brain. The more you engage with social media and receive the rewarding dopamine hit it creates, the more your brain will seek it out to get another hit. This can lead to social media dependence and addiction.
“For those considering a break from social media, start small by setting aside a certain amount of time dedicated to social media per day. Using a timer or app that blocks social media can hold you accountable for this. Taking up new hobbies that are not technology-related is also a great way to take time off social media, as well as intentionally seeing friends and family in person.
“Keep in mind, these platforms are designed to grab and hold your attention, so work on taking control of your usage instead of letting these sites control you. This way, social media can be something that enhances your quality of life, instead of diminishing it.”
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