Introduction: Social Media (SM) use is increasing among U.S. young adults, with 88% reporting SM use. Previous research suggests that the public and interconnected nature of SM may alter the grief process for users in both positive and negative ways. However, this research has been limited by reliance on small and localized samples. Thus, we surveyed a national sample of U.S. young adults about the potential influence of SM use across platforms on coping with the death of a loved one. Methods: In June 2018 we surveyed 475 U.S. adults ages 18-30 who had experienced the death of a friend or family member who was also a friend on SM about how they experienced grief on SM. One quantitative item assessed how helpful SM was in dealing with the loss of this person on a scale from 0 (not at all helpful) to 100 (very helpful). We also provided two open-ended questions around the positive and negative impacts of SM on dealing with their loss. We calculated descriptive statistics for quantitative data and systematically assessed the open-ended questions qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results: Of the 475 respondents, 65% (n=308) identified as female and 50% (n=237) were 28-30 years of age. On average, participants reported that SM was moderately helpful when dealing with their loss; median was 45 (IQR=42) on a 0-100 scale. Analysis of qualitative responses revealed that positive impacts of SM in dealing with loss of a loved one included facilitating the dissemination of information about memorial services and receiving messages of support from others. For those who reported a negative impact of SM in dealing with the loss of a loved one, common themes included insincere messages about the deceased and feeling that SM detracted from in-person support. The presence of the deceased’s SM account was considered by some to be a positive influence, as they found comfort in looking back at old posts and pictures. However, for others having the person’s account was more negative, serving as a constant reminder of the death. Conclusion: Young adults who have experienced the death of a family member or close friend who is also a friend on SM report both positive and negative influences of SM on dealing with their loss. More research is needed to better quantify and examine the long-term influence of SM on the grief process. It may be particularly interesting to assess whether SM use affects the risk for development of complicated grief among the bereaved.