How Americans Get News: TikTok, X, Facebook, Or Instagram?

Half of the United States adult population gets their news from social media. Still, the way they consume the news varies greatly across platforms such as TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.

A Pew Research Center survey highlights these differences, revealing unique patterns and key insights into how Americans engage with news on these platforms. Read the article we have prepared about this data and discover more interesting facts.

News Consumption Patterns

Most users don't use Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok primarily for news. Unlike the others, X (formerly Twitter) is where most users come for news. About half of X's users regularly get news from the platform.

Users across all platforms often see opinion-based or humorous content related to current events more than actual news articles. News on these platforms comes from diverse sources:

Many users on each platform encounter news that seems inaccurate—around a quarter or more on each site report seeing inaccurate news often. Democrats are generally more skeptical of news on X, while Republicans are more skeptical of news on Facebook.

Where And Why

The results of the research point out the following percentage of US adults get news regularly on each platform:

Among the reasons for using the platforms is that 65% use X for news, including 25% who say it is a major reason. Also, Fewer than half cite news as a major or minor reason to use TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

Content Visibility And Source Of News

Other findings include that about two-thirds or more users on each platform see opinions or humorous content related to the news. 75% of X users see real-time breaking news, compared to lower percentages on Facebook (58%), TikTok (55%), and Instagram (44%).

Facebook and Instagram users often get news from friends and family, while TikTok and X users get news from influencers and strangers. More precisely, 80% of X news consumers get news from journalists or news outlets.

Many users report seeing inaccurate news on social media, with X (37%) and Facebook (33%) being the highest.

Platform Influence And Partisan Views

The study shows that those who use Facebook and Instagram believe these platforms significantly influence which news stories they see. Users acknowledge that algorithms and moderation policies impact their news feeds.

Regarding partisan views, Democrats on X are more likely than Republicans to see inaccurate news (42% vs. 31%). Conversely, Republicans on Facebook report seeing more inaccurate news than Democrats (38% vs. 29%).

Uniqueness And Fatigue

When asked about uniqueness, 35% of TikTok and 29% of X users feel they get unique news not found elsewhere. Instagram and Facebook users more often see news they would have encountered elsewhere.

Many users feel overwhelmed by the amount of news on these platforms, especially on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

While X is many people's primary source of news, other platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok serve more as side sources with a mix of news-related content. However, concerns about accuracy and the influence of these platforms on news consumption remain significant.