44% Of U.S. Adults Get Their News From Social Media [Study]


Social Media

Social media is particularly useful for breaking news, and according to a new study, 44 percent of American adults get their news from social networks.

The study, conducted by American Press Institute, surveyed nearly 1500 adults about how and where they consume news.

Here’s the most popular methods:

  • Directly from news organizations – 88 percent
  • Word of mouth – 65 percent
  • Search engines and online news aggregators – 51 percent
  • Sharing news with friends via text messages, email, etc. – 46 percent
  • Social media – 44 percent
  • Electronic news alerts – 31 percent

However, when it came to the most popular platforms to receive news, TV led the way:

  • Television – 87 percent
  • Laptops/computers – 69 percent
  • Radio – 65 percent
  • Paper newspapers or magazines – 61 percent
  • Cell phone – 56 percent
  • Tablet – 29 percent
  • Smart TV or gaming console – 11 percent
  • E-reader – 10 percent

When it comes to what methods of receiving news that Americans trust most, social media actually ranked at the very bottom.

News Study

News by way of electronic news alerts, directly from news organizations and search engines was trusted the most.

“Social media and word-of-mouth are the least-trusted means of discovering the news, with 37 percent of those who got news this way in the last week mistrusting or trusting only slightly social media and 33 percent mistrusting word-of-mouth.”

With hoaxes spreading easily on Facebook and beyond, it’s not difficult to see why Americans are skeptical of news on social media.


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a seasoned professional with a strong background in growth strategies and editorial responsibilities. Kokou has been instrumental in driving companies' expansion and fortifying their market presence. His academic credentials underscore his expertise; having studied Communication at the Università degli Studi di Siena (Italy), he later honed his skills in growth hacking at the Growth Tribe Academy (Amsterdam).

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