Social media use and exposure to pro-tobacco content: a comparison of sexual identity and gender in young adults in California

IntroductionGiven the rapidly changing media landscape and tobacco marketplace, timely data on media consumption and exposure to pro-tobacco content across media channels among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults is imperative for developing counter-messaging and public education campaigns for these individuals. MethodsUsing 2023 data from young adults in California, this study examined how social media use differed across media channels for heterosexual and LGB young adults, by gender identity. Exposure to pro-tobacco content across media channels between heterosexual and LGB young adults, by gender identity was also compared. ResultsFindings from a representative sample of young adults in California showed that more LGB young adults reported using Tumblr and fewer reported using Facebook and Snapchat, compared with heterosexual young adults, among both males and females. Additionally, social media use differed by gender identity. For example, use of Reddit was more common among LGB versus heterosexual females, but there were no differences by sexual identity among males. Exposure to tobacco marketing was more common among LGB females compared with heterosexual females, but this was not the case for males. Exposure to user-generated e-cigarette content, and self-reported visits to e-cigarette websites, were more common among LGB females compared to heterosexual females. ConclusionsThese findings highlight the importance of treating LGB individuals as a heterogeneous group. As such, anti-tobacco campaigns designed for LGB individuals that leverage social media will want to consider which social media platforms are most used among their target audience, ensuring maximum campaign reach.