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/

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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."

---

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

---

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.

---

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.

---

I agree with this fact check. As America has become more technologically based, I have found that many people find it easier to find news through social media due to the constant upload of new posts. People have become more comfortable with speaking about news on social media, adding fuel to fire, and making it easier to find on social media

---

I agree with this statement and found evidence to back it up. I read the article published by the Pew Research Center and reviewed the facts. For example,  31% of American adults absorb their news from Facebook, and 22% get their news from YouTube. The PRC is a trusted source and the authors of the article clearly state how and what methods they used to receive their data, including what groups they included in their scientific studies. These studies were done within the last five years as well, in 2020 and 2021, which makes them still relevant today.

Answer 1

The claim that many Americans rely on social media for news is a correct statement. Pew Research is one of the leading research and survey websites in the world and is known to be a credible source. The article demonstrates numerous real-life graphs that confirm the claim. The claim although somewhat vague, comes down to percentages. Pew Research found that 47 percent of Facebook users, use the app as their main source of news. That number easily surpasses the claim that many Americans do in fact use social media as a means for news. 

PBS also wrote an article about this claim and stated that 20 percent use social media as their sole news source. Based on these two articles from highly established websites, it can be concluded that the claim is true.

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

Answer 2

This claim is true, many Americans do rely on social media for news. Social media sites are becoming more and more prevalent in our day to day lives. According to a study from the Pew Research Center, "just over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media," in 2024. This is a rise from recent years, and is expected to continue to climb. In the same publication, Pew Research Center finds that 52% of TikTok users regularly use the platform to get the news in 2024, up from 22% in 2020.

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

Answer 3

I would say this claim is true. The survey conducted by Pew Research Center in 2021 showed "A little under half (48%) of U.S. adult say they get news from social media 'often' or 'sometimes.'" I also found a more recent survey conducted in 2024, which shows that "over half of U.S. adults (54%) say they at least sometimes get news from social media." The graph in this article shows that the percentage of people who get news from social media has increased slightly each year. Another survey found that "Convenience remains the top thing people like most about getting news on social media." However, it is also a fact that " Four-in-ten Americans who get news from social media say inaccuracy is the thing they dislike most about it - an increase of 9 percentage points since 2018." Many people get news from social media, but they also recognize concerns about inaccuracy.

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

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

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/07/many-americans-find-value-in-getting-news-on-social-media-but-concerns-about-inaccuracy-have-risen/

Answer 4

There is no denying that social media has become a large part of everyday life for many people and the claim that people have been relying on it for news seems very accurate. This article from the Pew Research Center, published in 2021, shares that nearly half (48%) of all American adults rely on some type of social media for their news, at least sometimes. 

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

Pew Research Center published another article about this same topic in September 2024, so around 3 years after this first article was published. The numbers since then have gone up, now 54% of all American adults are relying on some form of social media for news. Since 2021, these numbers have been either slightly increasing or staying stagnant somewhere around the 50% mark.

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

On their news fact sheet, also published in 2024, they include a visual that shows what percent of Americans get their news from certain platforms. We can see a large rise in the digital devices category and a decline in the other three categories (television, radio, and print publications). 

https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/news-platform-fact-sheet/

Based on this information I think it is safe to say that this claim is accurate and I believe that the numbers of news consumption via social media will continue to go up. 

Answer 5

Many americans rely soley on social media for news. The writer of this post claims that a large portion of Americans use social media, especially apps such as twitter, youtube, tiktok, instagram and facebook for the news they recieve. Not only does the writer use a credible souce, from the Pew Research center, but they also provide helpful graphics and data that aligns with the information they're executing. Right off the bat, this writer recognizes the pew research center in their opening sentence. After researching the link and data provided in their claim, I noticed that although the title of the article doesn't say such an upfront claim, the subheading aligns with the information told by the writer on news fact checking. The subheading reads, "More than half of twitter user get news on the site regularly." Knowing this, i dove deeper into the context of the article. In the first paragraph, one of the first things I noticed was the sentence, "A little under half (48%) of U.S. adults say they get news from social media 'often' or 'sometimes.'" The context given shows that the claim made by the user on news fact checking wasn't exaggerted in the slightest. The title they use of "Many Americans" shows that they did the research on the pew research center's website and saw that they stated 48% percent. A false claim would've used the term "most" or "all" instead. Overall, I believe that the author of this fact check took the time to make sure they had data, a sufficient title, and enough evidence to back up their claim. 

I double checked this information with the source Statistica. What I learned from my research was even more interesting, as it comes across as misinformation. Statistica says that according to the same study from the Pew Research Center, 54% of American Adults rely on social media for their news. This is an example of how fact checking can easily be misconstrued, as this was an exaggeration of the actual, true study conducted. The original statement is still true, being that the information is taken from the Pew Research Center, however the second source I found was false. 

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

https://www.statista.com/chart/28490/news-consumption-on-social-media/

Answer 6

The claim presented by the article that many Americans rely on social media for there news is true. You can find other sources that corroborate this claim. You can also easily find information on the authors themselves, including previous articles they have written. I do have some issues with this claim drawn from the article. The article isn't measuring reliance on social media for use, it is measuring the amount of news being pushed on social media sites, and for other articles that measure peoples use of social media as a news source the amount is closer to 20%. Overall it is still true that a many Americans rely on social media for news.

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

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/18/more-americans-get-news-from-social-media-influencers.html

Answer 7

The claim that "many Americans rely on social media for news" is unequivocally true. As American culture has shifted away from traditional forms of media and towards a digital hybridization of content, we are spending less time reading newspapers and watching cable news. Even though longstanding news companies have tried to remain relevant in the digital age, the speed, efficiency, and ease of information delivery by social media content algorithms has captured the larger market. For someone on social media, there is a much higher chance that they will find out notable events from social media first before any other form of media. As a result, social media has become the default place to get news for many Americans.

According to Pew:

Source:

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/02/07/many-americans-find-value-in-getting-news-on-social-media-but-concerns-about-inaccuracy-have-risen/

Answer 8

It’s true that many Americans turn to social media platforms as their primary source of news. Social media allows for real-time updates and quick, easy-to-consume content. The listed article from Pew Research shows that “a little under half (48%) of U.S. adults say they get news from social media ‘often’ or 'sometimes.” Although this data is from 2021, the percentage of Americans relying on social media for news has assumably only increased since. The Pew Research Center is not only known for their credible data collecting and research, but AllSides also gave them a “high confidence rating.” Additionally, when researching this topic, almost every article—including ones from the Washington Post and PBS—references this data. 

Citations:

Hadero, H. (2024, November 18). About 20% of Americans get their news from social media influencers, report finds. PBS. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/about-20-of-americans-get-their-news-from-social-media-influencers-report-finds

Kelly, H. (2023b, November 15). From TV to TikTok, how we get the news is changing fast. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/15/news-trends-social/

Pew Research Center Media Bias Rating | Allsides. Pew Research Center. (n.d.). https://www.allsides.com/news-source/pew-research

Walker, M., & Matsa, K. E. (2021, September 20). News consumption across social media in 2021. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/

Answer 9

More Americans are turning to social media for their news, with 55% of U.S. adults now getting news from platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, according to a Pew Research report which has been a key source throughout many articles. The rise in social media use for news is driven by convenience, as platforms offer immediate access to breaking news and personalized content. Facebook, in particular, is the primary source of news for 52% of Americans, with YouTube and Twitter following behind.

While social media provides easy access to news, it also raises a lot of concerns about bias and misinformation. Social media companies control the news users see through algorithms. Many Americans worry about the influence these platforms have on shaping news consumption.  Additionally, the spread of misinformation and propaganda is a growing issue, with social media being used to manipulate public opinion.

Despite these challenges, social media remains a dominant source of news for many Americans, particularly due to its speed and accessibility. However, the risks of bias and misinformation mean that users must be more discerning about the news they consume from these platforms.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2019/10/11/more-americans-are-getting-their-news-from-social-media/

Answer 10

the main idea of this claim is that a large amount of americans rely on social media for their news. The article used, https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/, takes a look at how americans get their news content and how they engage with it on social media. there was a study that was conducted between july 26-august 8 2021, surveying over 11,000 adults in the U.S., and it found that around 48% of them reported that they frequently got their news from social media. Pew research center is an organization known for its data collection and analysis, which gives credit to the claim, as this was the article used. the organization provides detailed information about the survey methods, and includes question wording and sampling techniques, which allows thorough evaluation.