A study reveals that just over a third of all US adults get their news via social media. However, that number seems to be gradually falling.
The study was conducted by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that conducts research on trends and norms across the US and other countries demographics. This recent study of theirs isn't even the first of it's kind. In fact, the 2021 social media research compares itself to a similar 2020 document that sheds light on news trends back then. The study took a look at the adult demographic in the USA, considering that it is the most avid consumer of news, and maps trends across different social media platforms.
The reports parameters were as such: a sample population of 11,178 US adults was amassed. They were all surveyed between form the 26th of July until the 8th of August, 2021. Individuals were asked about whether or not they relied on any digital sources for their daily intake of the news. If yes, then the population was further asked to clarify what online sources they relied on, with options being social media, search engines, podcasts, and news websites. For non-digital sources, the population was asked about their reliance on TV, radio, and print publications for the relevant news. Finally, users were asked what interface they relied on to view online news (smartphone, computer, or tablet).
The 2021 research reveals that 31% of the adult demographic gets their news from Facebook, with 66% having access to the platform. While this is no number to wag one's finger at, it is certainly a notable decrease from the 36% that relied on the social network for their daily news. The study also revealed that social media in general in seeing a slight decline in being regarded as a central hub of news information for everyone. It is revealed that approximately 48% of the sample population relies on social media for their news, which is a 5% drop from 53% in 2020.
Much of this may have to do with a sense of disillusionment garnered over the years with social media. The excess of information provided on such platforms, which is often left unchecked and unverified, can prove to be a bit much for the average individual. Therefore, perhaps users are slowly looking to establish their own truth by researching topics themselves, instead of relying on clickbait titles across YouTube and Instagram.
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The study was conducted by the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan organization that conducts research on trends and norms across the US and other countries demographics. This recent study of theirs isn't even the first of it's kind. In fact, the 2021 social media research compares itself to a similar 2020 document that sheds light on news trends back then. The study took a look at the adult demographic in the USA, considering that it is the most avid consumer of news, and maps trends across different social media platforms.
The reports parameters were as such: a sample population of 11,178 US adults was amassed. They were all surveyed between form the 26th of July until the 8th of August, 2021. Individuals were asked about whether or not they relied on any digital sources for their daily intake of the news. If yes, then the population was further asked to clarify what online sources they relied on, with options being social media, search engines, podcasts, and news websites. For non-digital sources, the population was asked about their reliance on TV, radio, and print publications for the relevant news. Finally, users were asked what interface they relied on to view online news (smartphone, computer, or tablet).
The 2021 research reveals that 31% of the adult demographic gets their news from Facebook, with 66% having access to the platform. While this is no number to wag one's finger at, it is certainly a notable decrease from the 36% that relied on the social network for their daily news. The study also revealed that social media in general in seeing a slight decline in being regarded as a central hub of news information for everyone. It is revealed that approximately 48% of the sample population relies on social media for their news, which is a 5% drop from 53% in 2020.
Much of this may have to do with a sense of disillusionment garnered over the years with social media. The excess of information provided on such platforms, which is often left unchecked and unverified, can prove to be a bit much for the average individual. Therefore, perhaps users are slowly looking to establish their own truth by researching topics themselves, instead of relying on clickbait titles across YouTube and Instagram.
