Young People's Changing News Habits

Why It Matters

The shift to social‑first news consumption jeopardizes traditional revenue streams and places young audiences at the mercy of tech‑platform algorithms, forcing news organizations to redesign engagement models.

Key Takeaways

• Social media now primary news source for 18‑24 year-olds.
• 2025: 40% cite social media vs 25% news apps.
• Instagram news usage rose five‑fold to 30% in decade.
• TikTok accounts for 22% of young adults' news consumption.
• Declining platform loyalty threatens ad revenue and audience stability.

Summary

The video examines how young adults’ news‑consumption habits have shifted dramatically over the past decade. In 2015, only two‑in‑ten 18‑ to 24‑year‑olds named social media as their main news source, while a larger share turned to traditional TV or dedicated news sites. By 2025, nearly four‑in‑ten now rely on social platforms, and only one‑in‑four cite news apps or websites as their primary outlet.

Key data points illustrate the transition: Instagram’s role in news rose five‑fold to reach 30% of the cohort, TikTok—launched in 2019—already supplies news to 22%, and Facebook’s share plummeted from roughly 50% to about 17%. The consumption pattern has become more incidental; young people encounter headlines while scrolling for unrelated content rather than seeking them out deliberately.

The video highlights that this incidental, platform‑driven model weakens the direct relationship between news brands and younger audiences. With algorithms and big‑tech gatekeepers dictating visibility, news organizations lose control over distribution. The decline of Facebook, once a dominant news conduit, underscores how quickly platform preferences can shift.

For the industry, the implications are stark: advertising and subscription revenues tied to direct audience engagement are eroding, and the reliance on social feeds makes younger readers vulnerable to algorithmic changes. News outlets must rethink strategies to cultivate loyal, repeat audiences rather than merely chasing fleeting platform traffic.

Original Description

Young people's media habits have been online first for a while, but where they get their news has changed. In 2015, just one-in-five said social media was their main source of news. Far more 18-24s went directly to news websites/apps. But in 2025, when we asked the same question in 2025, nearly four in ten said social media was their main source of news, and only one in four said news sites or apps.

The platforms that younger people use for news have also changed. Use of Instagram and TikTok for news has grown, while use of Facebook has declined dramatically.

Our colleague Amy Ross explains findings from our research that we explore in our latest report 'Understanding young news audiences at a time of rapid change': https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/understanding-young-news-audiences-time-rapid-change