A recent study by the Pew Research Center reveals that about 1 in 5 Americans regularly turn to “news influencers” on social media for their news. This trend is particularly pronounced among younger users, coinciding with increasing political polarization in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election.
Galen Stocking, a senior computational social scientist at Pew, noted, “We thought about news influencers as sources of authority to their audiences about what’s happening in the world.” The study found that 65% of respondents felt that the information they received from these influencers helped them better understand current events. Notably, nearly 40% of adults under 30 reported relying on independent social media figures for news, the highest percentage among all age groups.
Democratic strategist Basil Smikle highlighted the convenience of accessing news through social media. “You have access to all the information you need from your phone,” he said. However, he cautioned that this ease of access can lead to habits that contribute to the spread of misinformation. “When you’re getting information through social media, how do you know how original that information is? It’s very hard to verify that,” he added.
The study identified around 500 accounts as “news influencers,” with two-thirds of them active on multiple platforms. The social media site X was the most popular among these influencers, with 85% reporting their presence there. Meta-owned Instagram followed, while YouTube, favored by Gen Z, ranked third. TikTok was less popular among influencers, coming in sixth after Meta’s Threads and Facebook.
The Risk of Misinformation
The influence of independent social media creators on politics has been a topic of concern, especially in the context of recent elections. Candidates have increasingly turned to social media to engage younger voters, with notable appearances on popular podcasts and platforms.
Smikle emphasized that the ability to disseminate information quickly and consistently through social media has changed the political landscape. However, this shift has also facilitated the spread of misinformation. “There were standards that the networks used to determine what was true,” he stated. “Those guardrails are gone through social media.”
Alaina Wood, a news influencer focused on climate issues, pointed out that misinformation often becomes widespread before it can be effectively countered. “Trying to get a handle on misinformation before it becomes a thing can really help,” she said, noting that corrective content rarely goes viral compared to the original misinformation.
Gender and Political Bias Among Influencers
The Pew survey also revealed a gender disparity among news influencers, with nearly two-thirds identified as men. This trend was most pronounced on YouTube and Facebook, where 68% and 67% of influencers were men, respectively. On TikTok, the gender distribution was more balanced, with about 50% male and 48% female.
Matteo Recanatini, another influencer mentioned in the report, observed significant differences in audience demographics across platforms. He noted that his YouTube audience tends to be conservative, while his TikTok following is more liberal and predominantly female.
Among the influencers who expressed a political orientation, 52% identified as right-leaning, with a notable concentration of conservatives on platforms like Facebook. Recanatini remarked on the echo chambers created by algorithm-driven content, stating, “If you’re not aware of it, you end up thinking 100% of the people around you feel a certain way.”
Increasing Political Stratification
The political landscape on social media may become even more polarized. Following the recent election, some users have left X due to its association with controversial figures, including its owner Elon Musk. Jay Rosen, a journalism professor, announced his departure from X, expressing uncertainty about how to continue his role in journalism education on the platform.
As users migrate to alternatives like the micro-blogging platform Bluesky, which saw over 1.25 million new users in the week after the election, the potential for further political stratification grows. Recanatini noted, “People’s decision to not post on X is amplifying that echo chamber, creating an even more radicalized audience.”
As the landscape of news consumption continues to evolve, the role of social media influencers in shaping public discourse remains a critical area of observation, particularly in the context of misinformation and political engagement.
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