Facts That Inform and Inspire
August 14, 2019
Seeing Is Not Believing
A majority of Americans get some of their news from social media—but that doesn’t mean they believe it
A Pew Research Center survey reports that 68% of Americans say they at least occasionally get news on social media — 10% even prefer it. Traditional methods still have their place, though, with 44% of Americans preferring to watch news on television, 14% preferring to listen to it on the radio, and 7% preferring to read it in newspapers.
But the survey also found that people don’t necessarily trust the news they see on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other sites. In fact, 57% of Americans who get news on social media say they expect it to be largely inaccurate. And even among the 10% who prefer social media over other news platforms, 42% say they expect what they see to be largely inaccurate.
68%
57%
So why are these Americans relying on social media for news, even if they think what they see won’t be true? In a word: convenience.
When the Pew Research Center asked survey respondents what they like about getting news on social media, the answers included: “it’s very accessible,” “it’s available at the touch of a button,” and “I don’t have to go looking for it.” About a third (36%) say getting news on social media has helped to improve their understanding of current events.
All this doesn’t mean Americans don’t care about inaccuracy. In fact, inaccuracy is a top concern for many social media news consumers. And nearly a third (31%) of respondents said this was the primary reason they dislike getting news on social media sites, citing reasons such as unreliable sources, lack of fact-checking, and “fake news.”
When you’re catching up on the news, does convenience outweigh accuracy? Learn more and share your thoughts with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or email.
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Learn more about Americans today: Media Habits, Social Media
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