Trust in traditional institutions is decreasing, while individual voices online are gaining influence in how Americans perceive news. A recent study indicates that for the first time, social and video platforms have surpassed traditional media as the primary news source for Americans, with one in five adults now relying on social media influencers for news. Despite the proliferation of misinformation, many individuals continue to seek credible information on these platforms, often expressing uncertainty about where to find trustworthy sources. Engagement among online audiences highlights a collective desire for factual reporting amid an era of virality over validity.
Millions of people still care about truth. They are seeking facts on social media from credible voices they can trust. They just aren’t always sure where to find them or from whom.
Trust is slipping away from traditional institutions-media, government, and higher education-and shifting to individual voices online, among them social-media creators.
For the first time, more Americans will get their news from social and video platforms than from traditional outlets. One in five adults now regularly turns to influencers for news.
Social media rewards virality, not veracity. It is an environment perfectly engineered to scale both misinformation and slick grifts.
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