Many Americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen

Four-in-ten Americans who get news from social media say inaccuracy is the thing they dislike most about it – an increase of 9 percentage points since 2018. Fauxels photo

Pew Research Center
Social media plays a crucial role in Americans’ news consumption. Half of all U.S. adults say they at least sometimes get news there, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey.

Those who get news on social media name a variety of things that they like about it, including convenience, speed and the element of social interaction. But some social media news consumers also express concerns about news there being inaccurate, low quality and politically biased. The share who say inaccuracy is the aspect they dislike most has increased from 31% to 40% in the past five years.

These findings come from a broader Center survey of U.S. adults’ news habits. The survey asked Americans who get news on social media to describe – in their own words – the things they like and dislike most about getting news there. Their responses were then sorted into categories.

MORE

RELATED STORIES FROM THE INTEGRITY PROJECT

RUMORGUARD: Viral Post Misidentify Innocent Man as Sydney Stabbing Suspect

CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK: Media Literacy for Students in a Digital Age (Copy)

EDUCATION WEEK: Social Media Is Hurting Social-Emotional Skills. How 4 School Districts Are Fighting Back (Copy) (Copy)