Social Media Spotlight: Girls Outpace Boys in Attention and Reach, Survey Finds
Srinagar, August 28, 2025 (ANN News)
Aadhya Sharma
A groundbreaking survey by ANN English, in partnership with leading social media platforms, has uncovered a significant gender divide in online engagement, with girls consistently outperforming boys in both attention and reach, often regardless of content depth or quality.
The survey, conducted across multiple platforms, reveals that female users garner approximately 70% more attention and 80% greater reach than their male counterparts. Notably, girls who combine charisma and visual appeal dominate engagement metrics, capturing up to 80% of interactions. In contrast, boys, even those producing high-quality, educational, or intellectually rigorous content, often struggle to secure even 15% of similar engagement.
“It’s a stark reality,” said Dr. Ayesha Khan, a digital media researcher involved in the study. “A boy might spend hours crafting insightful content—a detailed blog post or an educational video—yet receive minimal traction. Meanwhile, a girl posting a casual selfie or a single emoji can amass thousands of likes, shares, and comments almost instantly.”
This trend is not limited to global platforms but is strikingly evident in India, including Jammu & Kashmir. For instance, in Srinagar, young female influencers often gain widespread visibility with minimal content, such as short lifestyle videos or aesthetic photos. In contrast, male creators in the region, who focus on topics like technology, education, or social commentary, frequently report lower engagement despite significant effort. A Jammu-based male vlogger, Aarav Sharma, shared, “I spend days researching and editing my videos on environmental issues, but they rarely break 500 views. A female friend’s dance reel, posted in minutes, easily hits 10,000.”
Experts attribute this disparity to a combination of algorithmic biases, cultural perceptions, and audience preferences. “Social media platforms are designed to prioritize visually engaging, easily consumable content,” explained Priya Mehra, a social media analyst. “Unfortunately, this often favors appearance-driven posts over substantive ones, giving female creators an edge due to societal biases around relatability and aesthetics.”
The survey also raises concerns about the long-term impact on content quality and equity. Male creators, particularly those focusing on niche or intellectual topics, report feeling discouraged by the lack of recognition. “The chase for instant likes and views is skewing the digital landscape,” the report notes. “It risks sidelining genuine creativity and rewarding superficial engagement.”
In Jammu & Kashmir, where digital content creation is a growing avenue for youth employment, this imbalance could have broader implications. Local educators and content creators are calling for a shift toward merit-based engagement. “We need platforms to rethink algorithms and promote diverse voices,” said Sameer Bhat, a Srinagar-based digital marketing expert. “Otherwise, we’re fostering a culture where effort and intellect take a backseat to popularity.”
survey urges stakeholders—platforms, creators, and audiences—to address this growing divide. Recommendations include algorithm adjustments to prioritize content quality, user education on engagement biases, and initiatives to highlight underrepresented creators. Without such changes, the digital space risks becoming a popularity contest, overshadowing talent and innovation.
As social media continues to shape cultural and economic landscapes, the findings underscore an urgent need to foster a more equitable online ecosystem—one where creativity, effort, and substance are valued as much as viral appeal.
