CivicScience continually tracks current and anticipated consumer trends. Here are three key insights marketers should know this week. All insights are derived from the CivicScience Social | Political | Economic | Cultural (SPEC) Report, a weekly report available to clients covering the latest news and insights. Start here to learn more.
1. A majority agree social media companies should be allowed to limit what their users can post.
In the last couple years, several states have passed laws restricting social media companies’ authority to ban or take down political content posted by users. The U.S. Supreme Court has now taken up the case, and the court is set to determine how much control these companies have over the content on their platforms.
Among U.S. adults, over half agree that social media companies should have the authority to regulate user-posted content on their platforms. Opinions on the topic vary significantly along political lines, however; Democrats are 30 percentage points more likely than Republicans to believe social media companies should have the right to limit what users are allowed to post on their platforms.
Want to see many more in-depth consumer political insights as the 2024 presidential election approaches? The CivicScience 2024 Election Mindset Tracker analyzes and predicts how developments in the 2024 presidential race will affect people, markets, and the economy. Click here to learn more.
Join the Conversation: Do you think the federal government should exert more regulatory control over social media companies to limit the spread of political disinformation online?
2. Nearly half of Americans say they’ve shopped for a special occasion (such as birthdays) in the past month.
The winter holidays may have come and gone, but those are far from the only special occasion Americans attend and shop for throughout the year. New CivicScience polling shows about half of U.S. adults (51%) say they have purchased gifts or other items for a special event or occasion in the past 30 days. The most common occasions for recent consumer shopping are birthday parties (33%), holiday parties or gatherings (15%), anniversaries (10%), and baby showers (10%).
3. One in five Americans have interest in smart rings amid Samsung’s Galaxy Ring launch.
The Apple Vision Pro has captured much of the recent attention in the wearable technology sector recently, but it’s far from the only development in the industry. Samsung recently announced its latest entry into the growing wearable technology market with the unveiling of its new Galaxy Ring. CivicScience data show roughly 1-in-5 U.S. adults say they either currently own or are interested in buying a smart ring.
Smart rings also seem to have a special appeal for fashion-conscious consumers. Respondents who say they keep up with fashion trends are significantly more likely to own or intend to own a smart ring compared to those who don’t.
Want to see more of the in-depth consumer insights found in this report not covered here? Clients receive the SPEC Report in full, plus access to real-time insights driven by our database of over 500K questions. Contact us now to see it in action.
