A new report has found that more people in the United States now get their news from social media and video platforms than from traditional television or news websites. The 2025 Digital News Report, published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, shows that 54% of Americans use platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X to follow the news. That figure is higher than the 50% who watch news on television and the 48% who use news websites and apps. The findings were reported by the BBC, which quoted the study’s author, Nic Newman, as saying, “The rise of social media and personality-based news is not unique to the United States, but changes seem to be happening faster and with more impact than in other countries.” Influencers outpace traditional journalists The report also found that online personalities and influencers are becoming key sources of news for many people. Podcaster Joe Rogan was the most visible media figure in the US during the study period. The BBC said nearly one in four people (22%) had seen news or political commentary from him in the week of the survey. According to the report, some politicians are now choosing to appear on podcasts and shows hosted by influencers who are friendly to their views, rather than giving interviews to mainstream journalists. The Reuters Institute noted that, “Populist politicians around the world are increasingly able to bypass traditional journalism in favour of friendly partisan media, ‘personalities’, and ‘influencers’ who often get special access but rarely ask difficult questions.” The report also raised concerns about false or misleading information. Globally, 47% of those surveyed said influencers and online personalities are among the main sources of misinformation. The same percentage said politicians were also responsible for spreading misleading claims. X sees political shift after Musk takeover The report said the use of X for news is steady or growing in many countries, especially in the United States. Since Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022, more politically right-leaning users especially young men have joined the network. At the same time, some left-leaning or progressive users have reduced their activity. The BBC quoted the report as saying, “Many more right-leaning people, notably young men, have flocked to the network, while some progressive audiences have left or are using it less frequently.” In the US, the share of users who identify as being on the political right has tripled since Musk’s takeover. In the UK, the right-leaning user base on X has almost doubled, the study found. Alternative platforms like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon have made little impact. The report said these platforms have 2% or less global reach when it comes to news use. TikTok and AI also on the rise Other key trends from the report include, TikTok is the fastest-growing platform for news. It is now used by 17% of people globally, up by four percentage points since last year. Use of AI chatbots for news is increasing. Among people under 25, the use of chatbots is twice as common as in the general population. However, most people are worried about how AI might affect journalism. Many believe it could make news less accurate, transparent, and trustworthy. Despite these changes, the report found that people of all ages still value trusted news brands, especially those with a long record of accuracy even if they do not use them as often as before. The Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report is now in its 14th year. This year’s survey included responses from nearly 100,000 people in 48 countries, making it one of the largest studies of its kind.
