How Generation Z’s Social Media Usage Impacts the U.S. Military
There is a new generation of warfighters - Generation Z. Born 1997 to 2012, Generation Z (Gen Z) consists of true “digital natives” - individuals with no memory of a world without smartphones and social media. This new generation of recruits snap, post, and stream their daily lives across multiple popular social media platforms. Gen Zers shift seamlessly between the digital and physical worlds and expect the organizations they are a part of to do the same. Social media isn’t just a source of entertainment for Gen Zers; it’s an integral part of their experience. This heightened connectivity has many potential implications for their personal and professional lives. However, just because Gen Zers are prolific users of social media doesn’t mean that they are adept at utilizing this technology in an effective, ethical, or responsible way.
Gen Z service members may bring their pre-military social media habits into their military careers. If they understand how to utilize social media in positive ways, Gen Z service members have the potential to support the U.S. military force, mission, and reputation. Responsible social media usage may assist with recruiting goals and strengthen community relations. Additionally, these types of digital media skills may enhance the Gen Z service member’s ability to lead effectively in our increasingly complex, multi-domain world. However, Gen Z service members who lack digital literacy skills have the potential to negatively impact military operations and security on multiple fronts. For example, China, Russia, and other countries may capitalize on generational social media trends to influence and manipulate U.S. service members.
Today’s military leadership must be aware of social media's evolving role in Gen Z service members' lives and have a working knowledge of social media platform capabilities, in-app features, and user behavior patterns. Gen Z's social media usage has the potential to impact many aspects of U.S. military command, operations, recruitment and retention, security, and strategy. Social media is no longer restricted to being a place to share pretty sunset pictures and no-fail baking recipes; instead, it’s a dynamic global platform that plays an evolving role in cybersecurity, international relations, and terrorism. What was once a topic deemed only relevant to Public Affairs, is now a critical component in many aspects of advancing and defending the U.S. military’s mission. Safe passage on these unchartered digital waters requires leadership to recognize the increasing impacts social media has on our nation’s future.
A Hyperconnected Life: Gen Z Social Media Usage Statistics
Gen Zers are “hyperconnected” - approximately 95% of Gen Zers own a smartphone, and nearly half of the generation average ten hours daily on their mobile devices. While Gen Zers are incredibly active on social media, they use it differently from their Millennial, Generation X, and Baby Boomer predecessors. In contrast, Millennials (born between 1980 and 1996) love to curate a picture-perfect “highlight reel” of their lives on popular social media apps like Instagram. Gen Zers gravitate towards more in-the-moment social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and BeReal. These generation-specific social media usage patterns have the potential to impact military commands on multiple fronts - from selecting the best social media platform for public-facing communications to successfully combatting the increasing rise of cyber harassment across the ranks.
When contemplating the “why?” regarding Gen Z social media usage patterns, it’s essential to reflect on the environment in which Gen Z’s belief systems and usage habits related to social media were formed. In 2023, Gen Zers will be approximately 11 to 26 years old. Generation Z is the youngest generation of adults in the United States, making them a key target market for military recruiting. This generation came of age in a time of significant disruption and innovation, encountering many paradigm-shaping events such as the Global War on Terror, Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill, #MeToo, the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter, the Jan 6th attacks on the U.S. Capital, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For Gen Zers, the world is constantly changing. This generation has formed beliefs and values by wading through excessive “digital noise” on social media, seeking out authentic vs. established sources of information.
Gen Zers prioritize social media platforms that offer increased user anonymity, ephemeral (or disappearing) content, and a more in-the-moment experience. Many Gen Zers had a digital footprint long before they posted their first selfie - their parents had already documented Gen Zers' lives online via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Video recordings of the baby’s first words, a third-grade dance recital, or prom date photos were posted online by parents and often accompanied by parental commentary that some Gen Zers describe as “cringe.” Seeking social media platforms that were not filled with embarrassing digital footage of their awkward pre-pubescent years, Gen Zers have flocked to emerging social media apps that offered less of an archive. Additionally, observing the broad applications of “cancel culture,” where a high-profile individual encountered career-damning consequences for social media posts made years prior, Gen Zers sought out social media apps that promised shorter-lived content, such as 24-hour Stories or disappearing messages.
Broadly speaking across both civilian and military Gen Z populations, the most popular social media platforms in 2022 included YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. These platforms offer video-based content, and most provide ephemeral content. Additionally, emerging social media apps such as BeReal made the Top 10 list for Gen Z favorites, along with Discord - a social media platform that was recently involved in the leak of U.S. military information. Gen Zers connect to their world via social media to quickly access curated information based on their interests, geographic location, and preferences. Unfortunately, while Gen Z is noted as the “digital native” generation, their high usage rates and comfortability with technology do not necessarily translate to digital media literacy. This lapse in skills and awareness makes this hyperlocal generation highly susceptible to mis- and disinformation relayed over their preferred social media channels, insular online communities, and echo chambers of personalized feeds.
Civilian vs. Military Differences in Gen Z Social Media Usage
The unique demands of military life, along with distinct organizational culture and governing regulations, may have contributed to several key differences observed in civilian vs. military social media usage. A 2020 survey revealed that U.S. service members across multiple generations spend more time on social media daily than their civilian counterparts. This heightened social media usage across modern military populations is likely influenced by aspects of the service-driven lifestyle. Due to training schedules, deployments, Permanent Change of Station (PCS), and service-connected injuries and illnesses, the U.S. military community remains dispersed. Service members and military families may live thousands of miles away from their hometown, extended family, or best friend from basic training. Social media has emerged as an accessible communication tool for staying in touch with network connections all across the globe. A recent example of communication and collaboration occurring on social media was the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Many retired, former, and current service members communicated with interpreters via social media to help their international counterparts and families secure a safe evacuation.
The modern military community consists of multiple adult generations, with a vertical management structure that results in generational concentrations somewhat aligned with rank. For example, the majority of recruits and officer candidates are Generation Z (born between 1997 to 2012), while the majority of flag officers are Baby Boomers (born between 1946 to 1964) and Generation X (born 1965 to 1979). This multi-generational demographic of the modern military population influences what social media apps are utilized by individual service members, family members, and military organizations. In 2020, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat were noted as the most popular social media apps used by the multi-generational military community; however, there were notable exceptions regarding social media usage.
One example of civilian vs. military differences in social media platform popularity is Jodel. This German-based anonymous hyperlocal social media app is quite popular at select military academies, colleges, and installations. In a 2020 social media usage survey at the United States Military Academy (USMA), Jodel was reported to be one of the cadets' top five social media downloads. This social media platform preference was distinct from civilian Gen Z populations as they prefer Yik Yak, Sidechat, and Fizz over Jodel for anonymous hyperlocal social media platforms. The usage of Jodel, or any anonymous hyperlocal social media app, by military populations can be concerning, mainly when it's used to violate good conduct codes and evade accountability. Current user-generated content posted to Jodel communities geographically affiliated with military populations often includes cyberharassment, hate speech, mis/disinformation, suicidal ideation and threats of self-harm, threats of sexual assault, acts of violence, and acts of terrorism.
User-generated Content’s Role in Gen Z Decision-making
Trust (or lack thereof) is critical in shaping how Gen Zers make decisions. Instead of relying on traditional sources of external information, such as advertising, published research, organizational communications, and traditional media outlets for decision analysis, Gen Zers look to their peer networks via social media. This digital word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendation system differs significantly from conventional WOM systems used by previous generations who relied on trusted content to provide recommendations and information. Gen Zer’s digital WOM looks to a broad audience of social media users to confirm or reject information. For example, suppose Gen Zer is interested in serving in the U.S. military. In that case, they may search hashtags via Instagram to see what the lives of military influencers (people whom they have never met and will likely never meet) are posting about military service. Has a career in the military been positive for these influencers (for example, career progression, degree completion, friends, etc.), or has it been negative (for example, service-connected injuries, difficulties accessing VA medical care, struggles to find a civilian job, etc.)? Previously generations would have discussed military service with a veteran in their community, connected in person with a military recruiter, read interviews and biographies of military leaders, and considered traditional advertising, such as billboards, television, radio, and internet ads, to discover the benefits of military service. Gen Zers do things differently.
In 2021, nearly 40 percent of Gen Zers surveyed reported utilizing social media searches on platforms such as TikTok over traditional internet search engines, such as Google or Bing, to research information about brands and organizations. From a Gen Z perspective, user-generated content posted on social media may be more trustworthy than content originating from other sources. Social media content posted by a peer influencer provides Gen Zers with what may be interpreted as a more authentic, behind-the-scenes look at what the organization is like - not just what it claims to be. While UGC is not always accurate, some Gen Zers' perceptions of it as more trustworthy are concerning. This generation-based reliance on UGC vs. corporate communications presents numerous challenges to the U.S. military regarding Gen Z recruitment, service member online conduct, the spread of mis/disinformation, and other social media-related challenges. Everything being posted about or by service members on social media can impact the U.S. military - even if what’s being posted isn’t accurate or reflective of the force.
Addressing Challenges and Risks Associated with Social Media
From a command perspective, heightened social media usage across the troops can present positive and negative outcomes. When utilized effectively, social media can assist in strengthening morale, streamlining public information processes, increasing the effectiveness of outreach initiatives (including recruitment), and helping connect military families with supportive resources and programs that have the potential to improve quality of life. However, leading a group of hyperconnected service members is a double-edged sword. The same platforms that can increase Family Day Picnic participation can also be the medium in which adversarial manipulation and OPSEC violations occur, service members are cyberbullied and sexually harassed, harmful mis/disinformation is spread, trust in leadership is eroded, and classified data is leaked for the world to see. Additionally, when service members utilize social media to violate acceptable conduct, these unprofessional and irresponsible actions can negatively impact the U.S. military’s reputation, recruitment, and retention.
Modern military leaders must equip troops to succeed in a multi-domain operating environment that includes social media. Instructing service members to refrain from being active on social media was attempted and could have been more effective. When used ethically and responsibly, social media can support the U.S. military mission; however, just because Gen Z service members may be prolific social media users doesn’t mean they are skilled or trained on acceptable use of these popular platforms. Providing service members with the digital literacy skills needed to succeed in this dynamic space can help mitigate the operational risks associated with social media usage by service members and support the force’s overall mission and readiness. Like service members' training on correctly handling and caring for weapons, the next generation of warfighters should be trained in digital media literacy and professionalism.
Live Streaming the Future: Projected Impacts on U.S. Military Force and Mission
Gen Z social media usage isn’t forecasted to slow down anytime soon. This generation of digital natives is expected to utilize various social media platforms at high rates, integrating UGC posted online into their decision-making processes. Social media apps that offer Gen Z users profile anonymity, ephemeral content, hyperlocal experiences, and video-based interactions are likely to continue to rise in popularity. Current social media usage rates associated with Gen Zers will likely impact all branches of the U.S. military for years to come. Engaging recruiting campaigns must be delivered via social media to realize end-strength goals. Cyberharassment across the force must be effectively mitigated to support service member retention. Finally, digital literacy skills must be developed across all ranks to help service members resist online manipulation by our enemies, many of whom actively engage in disinformation campaigns targeting U.S. service members and veterans.
Recognizing the generation-based differences in social media usage and priorities can help commanders position this new generation of warfighters for sustainable success in an ever-evolving world. While hyperconnectedness can be a threat, when managed effectively, Gen Z social media usage may present the U.S. military with an opportunity to lead across multiple domains - digital and physical - in a way that has lasting positive impacts on force and mission for generations to come. Moreover, confronting these social media-related challenges from a place of education and skills development can empower service members to support command objectives while simultaneously strengthening cyber defense.
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