Over Half of U.S. Adults Now Turn to Social Media for News – Pew Research

According to recent research by Pew Research, over half of U.S. adults (54%) report using social media as a news source at least occasionally, marking a slight uptick from previous years. Among the platforms, Facebook and YouTube remain the dominant sources of news.

Approximately one-third of U.S. adults regularly turn to these sites for updates. Facebook, despite a slight decline in its share of news consumers (from 36% in 2020 to 33% in 2024), continues to play a significant role in the media consumption habits of Americans. YouTube, on the other hand, has seen a notable rise, with its regular news users increasing from 23% in 2020 to 32% in 2024.

Per the study, TikTok has made a substantial leap in news consumption, with 17% of U.S. adults now using the platform for news, up from just 3% in 2020. This surge is particularly prominent among younger users, who have increasingly embraced the platform for quick, engaging news content. In contrast, traditional platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have seen a slight decline in regular news consumers, dropping from 15% in 2020 to 12% in 2024.

The demographic makeup of social media news consumers reveals significant differences across platforms. For instance, platforms like Reddit and X tend to attract a male-dominated audience, with men comprising 68% and 64% of their news consumers, respectively. Conversely, women dominate news consumption on platforms like TikTok (62%) and Facebook (60%).

Interestingly, WhatsApp stands out for its ethnic diversity, with nearly half (48%) of its news consumers identifying as Hispanic—significantly higher than other platforms. Additionally, LinkedIn attracts a more educated user base, with 55% of its news consumers holding a college degree.

Partisan divides are also evident in the social media news landscape. Republicans and Republican-leaning independents make up the majority of news consumers on platforms like Truth Social (88%) and Rumble (83%). In contrast, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit attract a more Democrat-leaning audience. Facebook and YouTube sit in the middle, with a roughly even split between Republican and Democrat users.