Social media is one of the go-to news sources in the United States – over one third of U.S. adults responding to a 2022 survey got their news from social media platforms every day, and a further 22 percent did so a few times or at least once per week. After the surge in social media news consumption in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, daily engagement fell in 2021, but the increase the following year suggests that daily news access on social networks could continue to grow in years to come.

The most popular social sites for news

An annual report surveying U.S. adults from 2019 to 2022 revealed that Facebook was the most popular social network used for news, followed by YouTube. Important to note here though is that TikTok was not included in the survey question for those years, a platform increasingly popular with younger generations. Whilst the share of adults regularly using TikTok for news aged 50 years or above was just five percent, among those aged between 18 and 29 years the figure was over five times higher.

Meanwhile, Twitter is journalists’ preferred social media site, with the share who use Twitter for their job at almost 70 percent. Since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter however, some journalists raised concerns about the future of free speech on the platform.

Gen Z and social media news consumption

A 2022 survey found that half of all Gen Z respondents used social media for news every day. Gen Z is driving growth in social media news usage, a trend which will continue if the younger consumers belonging to this generation increase their engagement with news as they age.

Social media was by far the most popular news platform among 18 to 34-year-olds in the United States, with 47 percent of respondents to a survey held in August 2022 saying that they used social networks for news on a daily basis. By comparison, adults over 65 years old mostly used network news to keep up to date.

The decline of newspapers In the past, the reasons to regularly go out and purchase a print newspaper were many. Used not only for news but also apartment hunting, entertainment, and job searches (among other things), newspapers once served multiple purposes. This is no longer the case, with first television and then the internet taking care of consumer needs once covered by printed papers. Indeed, the paid circulation of daily weekday newspapers in the United States has fallen dramatically since the 1980s with no sign of future improvement.

News consumption habits

A survey on news consumption by gender found that 50 percent of women use either online-only news sites or social media for news each day, and 51 percent of male respondents said the same. Social media was by far the most used daily news platform among U.S. Millennials, and the same was true of Gen Z. One appeal of online news is that it often comes at no cost to the consumer. Paying for news found via digital outlets is not yet commonplace in the United States, with only 21 percent of U.S. consumers responding to a study held in early 2021 reporting having paid for online news content in the last year.

In December 2024, the news website with the most monthly visits in the United States was nytimes.com, with a total of 463.07 million monthly visits in that month. In second place was cnn.com with close to 357 million visits, followed by foxnews.com with just over a quater of a million. Online news consumption in the U.S. Americans get their news in a variety of ways, but social media is an increasingly popular option. A survey on social media news consumption revealed that 55 percent of Twitter users regularly used the site for news, and Facebook and Reddit were also popular for news among their users. Interestingly though, social media is the least trusted news sources in the United States. News and trust Trust in news sources has become increasingly important to the American news consumer amidst the spread of fake news, and the public are more vocal about whether or not they have faith in a source to report news correctly. Ongoing discussions about the credibility, accuracy and bias of news networks, anchors, TV show hosts, and news media professionals mean that those looking to keep up to date tend to be more cautious than ever before. In general, news audiences are skeptical. In 2020, just nine percent of respondents to a survey investigating the perceived objectivity of the mass media reported having a great deal of trust in the media to report news fully, accurately, and fairly.

A study held in 2024 revealed that 59 percent of X (formerly known as Twitter) users regularly used X for news. By contrast, users of major platforms Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube were less inclined to get their news from those sites, though usage of TikTok for news increased by 30 percent between 2020 and 2024, with the platform especially popular among younger audiences.

The statistic displays the results of a survey question on how often Millennials (respondents aged 16 to 34 years old) used social media to follow news in the Netherlands in 2018. The survey results suggest that as of 2018, over half of the respondents in the Netherlands were using social media to follow the news. Approximately 55 percent of people surveyed indicated that they used social media to follow the news on a daily basis, while close to one quarter of respondents never did so.

In the third quarter of 2023, an internet user in Colombia spent, on average, 68 minutes (or one hour and eight minutes) per day listening to the radio. Meanwhile, in Mexico the daily average stood below one hour. Caracol, W, and Blu were among the most-listened radio stations in Colombia in 2021.

In 2021, newspaper advertising spending in North America amounted to 8.3 billion U.S. dollars. The medium will face a continued decline in ad investments over the next few years, and according to the latest data, spending will have fallen to six billion U.S. dollars by 2024.

Newspaper readership The newspaper industry in North America has faced many challenges over the past few decades. The advent of social media and other online platforms has arguably caused the most significant disruption to the industry, as audiences continue to replace print publications with digital sources. In the United States, print newspaper consumption has dropped to an average of nine minutes per day, and according to a recent survey, newspapers were voted one of the least popular platforms for daily news consumption among young generations in early 2021.

Has newspaper advertising lost its appeal? Newspaper advertising is one of the oldest forms of advertising. While print editions have long been an effective tool for reaching potential customers, the digital revolution is visibly shifting advertisers’ attention and investments away from this and other traditional ad formats. In the United States, circulation numbers for daily weekday newspapers have been falling for decades, making them less attractive platforms for ad placement. And even though most publications have already jumped on the digital train, online newspapers now generally rely on paid subscription models for revenue instead of advertising investments.

Australians use a variety of media sources, both online and off, to access news. In 2023, around 58 percent of Australians accessed news via TV, while 51 percent of respondents caught up on news online. By comparison, just 19 percent used print-based media to access news.

Trust in digital news sources versus printed sources

In 2020, the level of trust Australians place in their main news source was around 47 percent; notably, newspaper readers had a higher level of trust with 39 percent, than those who obtained news online, with 35 percent.

Whilst most newspaper consumers trust them as a source of news, around one-fifth said they distrusted the publications. The level of trust that social media companies will ensure that content on their respective platforms is factual is also low, particularly during times of crisis. Just nine percent of Australians strongly agree that social media companies will ensure content is genuine.

The rise of fake news

As of September 2018, 59 percent of Australians said they had experienced news stories that were made up for political or commercial reasons. Elsewhere, 57 percent said they had seen articles that had been made to look like news but were actually advertisements. Just 20 percent said they hadn’t seen anything that could be described as fake news.

A study examining perspectives on the news media from over 40 countries revealed that levels of trust differed notably around the world. Scandinavians in particular had greater trust in the news media than citizens from other parts of the world, with 69 percent of Finns trusting the news, along with 57 percent of Danes and 55 percent of Norwegians. Who trusts the news the least? South Korea and Taiwan were placed among the lowest in the world when it came to how much consumers trusted the news media, alongside Hungary, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. Media sources in some of these countries can be considered to be insufficiently independent from the establishment. Just 23 percent of Greek consumers had trust in the news media, the lowest among all countries in the report. What affects trust in news? One factor which can greatly affect trust in news is the outlet used. Globally, social media is seen as a less reliable source of news, and in the EU radio and television are viewed as more dependable. In the current climate of fake news and polarizing political events, young people around the world are having a tough time relying on the mass media , although this attitude is also seen among older generations.

Daily newspaper circulation in Germany amounted to 10.2 million copies in 2024. Figures have been decreasing year after year in the last decade alone, a fact facing print media around the world, not just in Europe. For comparison, in 1991, German daily newspapers totaled 27.3 million copies in circulation. National dailies Germany counts various national daily newspapers among its print media, which are well-known among the population and still referenced, quoted, discussed, even if not as often as before. The leading tabloid in the country, the Bild Zeitung or simply Bild, reached around 6.93 million readers per issue in 2023. Further behind were the renowned Süddeutsche Zeitung, reaching almost 1.3 million readers per issue and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), reaching around 900,000 readers. Digital challenges A rising number of German households do not subscribe to a daily newspaper. The spread of internet access and mobile device use have influenced and changed consumer behavior regarding media content. One example being that it is easier to take a smartphone and browse on a newspaper website, also on the go, then buy, fold, unfold and carry around a newspaper. These are challenges the newspaper industry is facing long-term, as mobile and online media consumption increasingly becomes the norm.

There is no denying that the way people consume newspapers and magazines has changed. As of 2020, more than two thirds of individuals in Great Britain were either reading or downloading online news, newspapers or magazines. This was more than three times the share of online readers as compared to 2007. The share of UK online readers was higher than the European Union (EU 28) average. As of February 2019, BBC News online had the highest share of readers in the UK, with the Guardian and Mail Online coming in as second and third choice.

How do people like their news?

According to an Ofcom study, both television and the internet were more likely to be a source of news over newspapers across all UK countries. In fact, in Northern Ireland, individuals were more likely to receive news via word of mouth rather than through a physical newspaper or printed magazine.

Social media and news

In some European countries, approximately half of news consumers used Facebook as a source of news, while in the UK, it was approximately one quarter of news consumers. In the UK, Facebook was the leading social media network as a source for news, followed by Twitter and YouTube.

A global survey conducted in the third quarter of 2024 found that the main reason for using social media was to keep in touch with friends and family, with over 50.8 percent of social media users saying this was their main reason for using online networks. Overall, 39 percent of social media users said that filling spare time was their main reason for using social media platforms, whilst 34.5 percent of respondents said they used it to read news stories. Less than one in five users were on social platforms for the reason of following celebrities and influencers. The most popular social network Facebook dominates the social media landscape. The world's most popular social media platform turned 20 in February 2024, and it continues to lead the way in terms of user numbers. As of February 2025, the social network had over three billion global users. YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp follow, but none of these well-known brands can surpass Facebook’s audience size. Moreover, as of the final quarter of 2023, there were almost four billion Meta product users. Ever-evolving social media usage The utilization of social media remains largely gratuitous; however, companies have been encouraging users to become paid subscribers to reduce dependence on advertising profits. Meta Verified entices users by offering a blue verification badge and proactive account protection, among other things. X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, and Reddit also offer users the chance to upgrade their social media accounts for a monthly free.

According to a survey conducted in the United States in summer 2022, 79 percent of Republican respondents felt that news coverage had a great deal of political bias, making these voters the most likely to hold this opinion of the news media. Independents also felt strongly about this issue, whereas only 33 percent of Democrats said they saw a great deal of political bias in news.

How politics affects news consumption

Political bias in news can alienate consumers and may also be poorly received when coverage of a non-political topic leans too heavily towards one end of the spectrum. However, at the same time, personal politics in general are often closely interlinked with how a consumer perceives or engages with news and information. A clear example of this can be found when looking at political news sources used weekly in the U.S., with Republicans and Democrats opting for the national networks they most identify with. But what if audiences cannot find the content they want?

A change in behavior

Engaging with news aligning with one’s politics is not uncommon. That said, perceived bias in mainstream media may lead some consumers to look elsewhere and turn away from more “neutral” outlets if they believe the news is no longer partisan. Data shows that a number of leading conservative websites registered a substantial increase in visitors year over year. Looking at this data in context of Republicans’ concern about bias in political news, it is likely that this trend will continue and consumers will pursue outlets they feel resonate with them most.

Bild.de is the most visited news portal in Germany. The online version of the German tabloid daily newspaper Bild Zeitung recently raked in 552 million online and mobile visits. Spiegel and Bild Bild.de was also among the most visited websites in Germany overall. The word “Bild” itself means “picture”, “image” or “view”. While one of the best-known online newspaper versions in German-speaking countries clearly has its established place among online news consumers, non-tabloid media is also in demand on the internet, even if it is being outrun in visitor rankings. T-Online's news website came in second. Initially known to users as an email provider, it saw growing brand awareness among consumers in recent years. Online news: a challenging industry Just as the print media market is facing a number of challenges, the market of online news is becoming fiercely competitive by the hour. Digitalization and the rise of information consumption on mobile devices contribute massively to this, and subsequently so do changing habits and even demands from media consumers. Additional factors influencing visitor traffic for online news media are general user trust in media, desired consumption time, attention spans, and a news website being mobile-friendly or not.

A global survey conducted in the fourth quarter of 2023 found that the main reason for using social media was to keep in touch with friends and family, with over 49 percent of social media users saying this was their main reason for using online networks. Overall, 38 percent of social media users said that filling spare time was their main reason for using social media platforms, whilst 34.3 percent of respondents said they used it to read news stories. One in five users were on social platforms for the reason of following celebrities and influencers. The most popular social network Facebook dominates the social media landscape. The world's most popular social media platform turned 20 in February 2024, and it continues to lead the way in terms of user numbers. As of January 2024, the social network had over three billion global users. YouTube, WhatsApp, and Instagram follow, but none of these well-known brands can surpass Facebook’s audience size. Moreover, as of the final quarter of 2023, there were almost four billion Meta product users. Ever-evolving social media usage The utilization of social media remains largely gratuitous; however, companies have been encouraging users to become paid subscribers to reduce dependence on advertising profits. Meta Verified entices users by offering a blue verification badge and proactive account protection, among other things. X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, and Reddit also offer users the chance to upgrade their social media accounts for a monthly free.

The number of social media users in Japan was estimated at approximately 105.8 million in 2023. This figure was projected to increase to almost 113.6 million users by 2028.

Leading social networking services

The most commonly used social media in Japan are the messaging app LINE, YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok. LINE was developed by a Japanese subsidiary of the South Korean internet search engine provider Naver as a response to the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. While the traditional telecommunication infrastructure was damaged, people were able to connect with loved ones via social media and could stay informed about the most recent news. These possibilities generated a boost for social media in Japan, not only for LINE, but for Twitter and Facebook as well.

Usage today

Social media plays an important role today in how people in Japan communicate with each other. The average time people spend on using social media per weekday has increased significantly in recent years. According to one survey, communication with already existing acquaintances is the most common reason for using social media in Japan. Due to their nearly ubiquitous presence in the daily lives of people, social media services are also an important information tool for government institutions or companies that want to get their messages across to citizens and customers.

In 2023, advertisers invested approximately 60.69 billion Thai baht in television advertising in Thailand. This was followed by digital advertising. Television is a popular media channel that is accessible to the majority of Thai households. Television media consumption in Thailand Television is one of the major media outlets in the country. Many Thais like to tune in for daily news and television series, known as lakorn, which is ingrained as a prominent part of modern Thai culture. The popular television channels in Thailand are Channel 3 and Channel 7, known for their engaging television series and news programs. Moreover, Channel 3 received the highest amount of ad spend among television channels in Thailand. Rise of online media consumption Thailand has rapidly improved and expanded its digital infrastructure in the last few years, resulting in rising internet penetration rates. Thais have become one of the leading demographics worldwide to consume online media through well-known social platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. Many daily activities are now conducted online, especially with day-to-day communication, making payments through internet banking, and consuming different forms of media, such as watching videos and streaming music. Therefore, businesses have shifted their focus towards online marketing and advertising, utilizing social advertisements, and more interactive online marketing methods to establish their brand.

With approximately 1.6 billion video views in March 2019, LADbible was ranked first among the most watched Facebook video publishers. Second-ranked UNILAD generated 1.6 billion video views. Both social news and entertainment publishers are owned by the British media company The LADbible Group Ltd.

Social video consumption Watching a video on the likes of Facebook or Instagram is now part of everyday social media usage. Whilst YouTube is as popular as ever, it is no longer the only source out there for online video viewers. With companies and influencers utilizing video for marketing purposes on Instagram, concertgoers broadcasting the event to their friends via Facebook Live and Twitter users endlessly retweeting their favorite vlogs, video content on social is here to stay. Social media is an important channel for video producers and many traditional media brands have started to generate content specifically to be distributed and discussed on social platforms. News, ads, viral moments, celebrity vlogs, sporting clips – the variety of video clips on social media is seemingly endless and users are highly engaged with video content on Facebook. As of February 2018, Facebook ranked first among social video platforms, accounting for a significant share of social media video posts across all tiers of influencers. The network accounted for 50 percent of social video posts by celebrity influencers with more than 20 million followers.

Mobile social video
A significant chunk of social video is consumed via mobile. One of the most popular mobile video apps is TikTok, which has over 3.7 million monthly active users in the United States. TikTok is a mobile app for creating and sharing short videos, which also can be edited in-app. The app merged with Musical.ly in August 2018, thus gaining access to the teenage online user market in the United States. Popular types of TikTok videos include dances, comedy sketches or lip-synchs to songs. The platform is frequently considered the spiritual successor to the now-defunct mobile video app Vine, and popular TikTok videos are frequently shared across other social networks.

According to a survey conducted among internet users in Vietnam by Decision Lab, as of the third quarter of 2024, around 94 percent of respondents stated that they used Facebook, followed by Zalo, and YouTube. While Facebook and YouTube are known globally, Zalo is Vietnam’s premier chatting platform, which was first introduced to the population in 2012. Social media usage in Vietnam The number of social network users in Vietnam is forecasted to reach nearly 83 million by 2028. While Facebook remains the most popular app to get news, Zalo was primarily used to connect with friends and family, according to a survey conducted among Vietnamese internet users in the third quarter of 2024. In addition to providing entertaining videos, YouTube also offers subscription services for celebrity channels. TikTok, the new rising app first launched in 2016, has become the leading social media app to watch short videos in Vietnam, especially among the Vietnamese Gen Z. Zalo in Vietnam Zalo was created by Vuong Quang Khai, the current executive vice president of the Vietnamese technology company VNG Corporation, and has reached over 100 million users worldwide. Zalo provides free instant messaging, voice messaging, and individual or in-group calls, allowing users to send high-quality media files as well as calendar functions in private groups. It also has a diary function for users to post emotions and upload photos. On average, people send over one billion messages, deliver around 45 million pictures, and make 50 million minutes of calls through Zalo every day globally.

The entertainment magazine Diverto was the most popular French magazines in terms of paid circulation volume, with more than three million copies sold per publication in France. The magazine provides information on television, streaming and pop culture. Le Figaro, first French newspaper Known for its center-right editorial line, Le Figaro is the oldest French national daily newspaper and also one of the largest. As of 2023, Le Figaro came in second place of the ranking of national daily newspapers in paid outreach, only outranked by Le Monde. On average, Le Figaro issued a total of 25 publications monthly in 2023. Online consumption However, many newspapers suffered from a decline in sales of print circulation in favor of online consumption, with digital newspaper readership being on the rise for all major publications. As of 2023, 18 percent of French people stated that they consult websites or apps of regional daily newspapers on a daily basis, and nine percent several times a day.