Many Americans rely social media for news

Question

The Pew Research Center article titled "News Consumption Across Social Media in 2021" explains how Americans consume news on various social media platforms. It reveals that while a big portion of U.S. adults still get their news from social media, this trend has slightly declined compared to previous years. Facebook remains the most popular platform for news, followed by YouTube and Twitter, with younger users increasingly turning to Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for news. Despite the frequent use of social media for news, the accuracy of information on these platforms is low. Most users consume news in short clips or snippets, rarely looking for in-depth analysis or other viewpoints, which can contribute to the spread of misinformation.

Comments

After reading the article posted from the person with the claim, "Many Americans rely on social media for news," I have concluded that it is in fact true that many Americans get their news from social media. However, the accuracy of the information provided isn't reliable. As social media is biased and very opinionated, it is so easy to misinformation as well as disinformation. From the article, "The majority of regular news consumers of many sites are Democrats or lean Democratic. This may be related to the relatively young age profile of the news consumer base of these social media sites. No social media site included here has regular news consumers who are more likely to be Republican or lean Republican." (Walker, Matsa 2024). This tells you that political differences could be based off where you get your information from. Since social media doesn't only specialize in just news or politics, it isn't the right source to get knowledge from as it is biased and made to be personalized with each user's creation.

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/

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You did a good job finding reliable research to support your claim that people's different sources of information could cause political differences. It is valuable that you reported that a large number of consumers of news sites lean left, as this provides further context into which demographic primarily finds their news from social media and its inherent consequences. However, I question whether your statement of social media not being the "right source to get knowledge" due to its biases may be too generalized. While it is true that a majority of the content of social media includes biases, some creators on these platforms may have a more objective and neutral stance on the news.

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I agree that Americans rely on social media to get their news. I like how you added  sources and links to articles that have research embedded in them. I enjoyed how you also ranked the most popular to least popular platform that is used for news consumption.

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Good points. It might also be worth considering whether younger users are looking for more in depth news elsewhere, or just relying on short snippets from social media.

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Your claim and evidence is very supportive, and it is both trustworthy and reliable. One thing to add would be a more recent survey, as the usage of social media within our populations has risen heavily. You could use the exact same source, but this more recent survey from September 2024, where the article states, "Overall, just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media, up slightly compared with the last few years."

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This was an incredibly informative fact check one of the most interesting takeaways I've seen from the study is the decline in overall use of social media for news showing a growing skepticism of the information that's being presented in the media. It also shows how people are now moving to social media for news like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook which I found interesting and in my personal experience true. The article highlights the out-of-touch and alternative viewpoints of media that users on social media have taken and how it can increase the spread of missed information. This was a very interesting fact check and is true

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I 100% agree with this fact-check. I think news, especially with the new generations, is looked at through different social media apps nowadays. I know for myself, I only see the news or maybe look at some through Instagram or TikTok. Adding on, the older generations are all still using Facebook for the news, while the newer ones have flipped over to TikTok. I like how you got straight to the point with an immense amount of detail and used great sources at the same time for different opinions. I also agree that many people just see short clips of news all the time and they might be of a particular frame which will give off misinformation based off of that clip that they are seeing and no context behind it.

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Although this is a thorough fact-check with reliable sources used, I would argue that you exhibit some bias in your assessment of the Pew study. Although it is factual that social media has become a significant source of information for Americans, I do not agree that it is necessarily true that the information on social media is inherently false or biased as this can change based on the source.

Answer 1

This claim states “Many Americans rely on social media for news” is true because it has been shown in different studies and even articles. The article listed below refers to the “Pew Research Center” for their reasons for how people rely on social media. People of all ages now use social media because of the rise of popularity it has gathered over the years. This makes Facebook one of the most popular sources with 30% of adults regularly getting their news from there (according to Pew). Which is then followed by YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formally known as Twitter).

Now, to reference the Pew article “How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram”, it has been shown that most news consumers on each platform say that they notice some news that seems inaccurate. Users that use “X and Facebook are more likely to see news articles on each platform, with 79% of X users and 74% of Facebook users saying they do. Americans who use TikTok (57%) and Instagram (52%) are less likely to report seeing news articles (quote from How Americans Get News on TikTok, X, Facebook and Instagram).”   

If you need help trying to figure out if something is fake news or need help seeing misinformation, check the link below. Since many people use social media as a source of news, it’s always helpful to go through these simple steps to fact-check.

How to spot misinformation: https://guides.stlcc.edu/fakenews/factchecking

 

Sources used: https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/how-americans-get-news-on-tiktok-x-facebook-and-instagram/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/15/news-trends-social/

 

Answer 2

This article is accurate. The data from Pew Research confirms that social media remains a primary source of news, though its role has slightly decreased in recent years. As the article states, "A third of U.S. adults (31%) say they get news regularly on Facebook, while about one in five Americans (22%) say they regularly get news on YouTube. Twitter and Instagram are regular news sources for 13% and 11% of Americans, respectively" (third paragraph). The article highlights that social media platforms provide accessible news content for a wide audience regardless of demographic factors like age, gender, race, or ethnicity. However, since social media algorithms tailor feeds to users’ preferences, there’s a risk of receiving news aligned only with personal biases, potentially limiting exposure to diverse perspectives. This curated approach might contribute to misinformation, as the platform prioritizes engagement over accuracy. Overall, the article's claim is well-supported by data, and it reflects real trends observed in daily interactions with peers and social media news habits.

Answer 3

The claim "Many Americans rely social media for news" is true. According to pewresearch.org, "Overall, just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media, up slightly compared with the last few years." I myself would say I rely on social media for most of my news consumption.

Answer 4

Looking a the assumption that Americans rely on social media for their news seems to be correct. With many studies dating back to 2019 talking about the increase in reliance on social media for their news. From articles done by CNBC and Forbes as well as the article you have provided has shown the steady increase in usage of social media for the news. There has now been a large increase in past 5 years for usage of social media, with an 8% increase in 2019 starting off the year. There has now been close to 55% of users often utilizing social media for their news. Overall, your claim is correct and the research your sour=ce uses is credible. 

Answer 5

News Consumption Across Social Media in 2021 | Pew Research Center

About 20% of Americans get their news from social media influencers, report finds | PBS News

studies on the topic vary on exactly what percentage of Americans get their news from social media. One thing that can't be denied however is that the number is on the rise. the pew research study shows that at least 30 percent of Americans get news from Facebook alone which is largely seen as a platform in decline. With increased saturation of the social media market there is no reason to suggest that this trend will stop any time soon

Answer 6

Many Americans now rely on social media as a primary source of news. According to a recent report, more than half of U.S. adults (54%) say they get some of their news from social media (eMarketer). This shift in news consumption habits underscores the increasing dominance of digital platforms in shaping how people stay informed, as traditional news outlets struggle to maintain their audience. As social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram continue to evolve, they have become vital tools for news dissemination, often replacing or supplementing traditional sources like television and newspapers. The ease of access, real-time updates, and tailored content have made social media an appealing option for many, particularly younger audiences (Statista). In fact, a Washington Post article points out that as more people turn to social media for news, the line between social content and news becomes increasingly blurred, raising concerns about misinformation and its impact on public understanding. This transformation in news consumption reflects broader shifts in media habits, where digital platforms are not just sources of entertainment, but central hubs for information.

Chart: 54% of Americans Get (Mis)informed on Social MediaStatistahttps://www.statista.com › chart › news-consumption-o...

More than half of US adults rely on smartphones, social media ...eMarketerhttps://www.emarketer.com › content › more-than-half-...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/15/news-trends-social/

Answer 7

According to CBS about 20% of Americans get their news from social media influencers. People mostly get their news from digital influencers who are more likely to be found on platforms such as X(Twitter) according to the report released by Pew Research Center. This shows that a good amount of the population depends on digital sources for news. This statement is true. 

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/about-20-of-americans-get-their-news-from-social-media-influencers-report-finds

Answer 8

The title of this subject is "Many Americans rely on social media for news" with a link to the Pew Research Center, a reliable and credible source that uses numerous detailed and in-depth diagrams of statistics linked to the number of people who use social media for their news as well as the demographics within them, these diagrams back up the claim with these diagrams that show a lot of adults that use social media for news, for instance, Twitter or Facebook are used by lots of adults and are used constantly for news output. These can easily spread misinformation as well and at a much more rapid pace. However, these platforms and technology are only becoming more prominent as time goes on. This evidence and information given by the Pew Research Center heavily supports the claim made therefore, I believe this claim to be true.