This is just a tiny glimpse of the data available to CivicScience clients. Discover more data.
1. Americans, led by Gen Z, are ‘more’ likely to use Buy Now, Pay Later amid new impact on credit scores.
Beginning in Fall 2025, FICO will start factoring Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) loan data into consumer credit scores. This shift comes at a time when many report they’re struggling with BNPL payments, and the consumer debt outlook is continuing to fall, which could foreshadow how BNPL may begin to influence credit health.
However, a greater share of consumers say they are ‘more’ likely to use BNPL despite its imminent impact on credit scores, outpacing the 26% who say they’re ‘less’ likely. Interest is especially high among Gen Z adults, who are nearly 10pp more likely than Gen Pop to say they’re more willing to use BNPL, likely driven by efforts to build up their credit.
Weigh In: Do you think “buy now, pay later” services are generally positive or negative?
2. Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram benefit from growing reliance on social media as a source for news.
Americans’ news consumption habits have shifted notably in the last five years. While TV still serves as the first source of breaking news for most adults (57%), the percentage who use social media for this purpose has now equaled that of news websites as the second-most relied-on source (19%, respectively). This percentage jumps to one-third among Gen Z adults aged 18-29.
When it comes to specific platforms, Facebook and YouTube are the most popular among U.S. adults who use social media as a source for news. Unsurprisingly, younger adults skew toward Instagram and TikTok. Reddit is also more popular as a news source among Gen Z. Older Americans, meanwhile, are by far the most likely to use Facebook for their news resource.
Take Our Poll: To what extent do you use social media as a source of news?
3. July could feature a fresh round of consumer boycotts, with Starbucks most likely to feel the effects.
CivicScience data has previously shown consumers have not shied from the intention of and participation in brand boycotts. July begins with fresh calls for boycotts of Amazon, Home Depot, and Starbucks throughout the month, protesting recent changes to workers’ rights policies and the rollback of DEI initiatives. New CivicScience data show Starbucks leads in likely consumer boycott participation, even as the Amazon boycott overlaps with Prime Day.
Use this Data: CivicScience clients have access to real-time insights like these, allowing them to keep a pulse on shifting consumer attitudes and intent that may impact customer acquisition and retention.
