NEW YORK — TikTok has emerged as the leading social media platform for news consumption among young people, overtaking long-established rivals YouTube and Instagram, according to new data released by the Pew Research Center.
The short-form video app is now the most popular source of news among Americans aged 18 to 29, marking a significant shift in how younger audiences access information and engage with current affairs. The findings underscore the growing influence of social media — and particularly creator-driven platforms — in shaping news consumption habits.
Pew’s 2025 survey shows that 43% of young adults regularly get their news from TikTok, up from 32% in 2023. By comparison, 41% cited YouTube and Facebook as regular news sources, while 40% named Instagram. Smaller proportions reported getting news from X, formerly Twitter (21%), and Reddit (18%).
The results indicate that TikTok has moved from a supplementary platform to a primary news source for a generation that increasingly bypasses traditional outlets and formats.
Social Media Dominates News Consumption
The survey found that social media has become the dominant channel for news among young adults. Seventy-six percent of respondents aged 18 to 29 said they often or sometimes get news from social platforms, compared with 60% who rely on news websites and just 28% who turn to email newsletters.
Trust levels in social media news were also notable. Around half of respondents said they have “some” or “a lot” of trust in news from social media, a level broadly comparable to their trust in national news organisations. Researchers say this reflects both changing media habits and evolving definitions of what constitutes news.
News Beyond Traditional Media
Consuming news on TikTok does not necessarily mean watching clips from established media brands. Instead, young users increasingly regard news influencers, independent creators and first-hand user-generated content as legitimate sources of information.
Videos offering commentary, explainers or on-the-ground footage from conflict zones, protests and political events are widely consumed and shared. This trend has fuelled the rise of independent news creators such as Philip DeFranco and Vitus “V” Spehar, whose @underthedesknews account has attracted a large Gen Z following.
Some traditional news organisations have adapted by placing individual journalists and creators at the centre of their TikTok strategies. NPR’s Planet Money, for example, has leaned into creator-led storytelling to build trust and relatability with younger audiences.
Gen Z users interviewed by Business Insider previously said they prefer news delivered in a conversational, authentic tone, often by individuals rather than institutions.
Creators Gain Influence in Political Reporting
The growing role of creators extends beyond commentary. Podcasters and social media personalities are increasingly involved in news gathering and political coverage. Politicians and public institutions have turned to podcasts and creator-led platforms to reach younger voters, while independent content creators had a visible presence at last year’s Democratic and Republican national conventions.
In 2025, several independent creators have applied for accreditation to attend White House press briefings, reflecting a broader shift in who is recognised as part of the media ecosystem.
TikTok Expands News and Fact-Checking Tools
As its influence grows, TikTok has introduced features aimed at supporting news dissemination and credibility. These include tools that allow publishers to link directly to articles within videos, as well as a community-driven fact-checking feature known as Footnotes, similar to “community notes” used on other platforms.
The company says it also works with independent fact-checking organisations in more than 130 markets to assess the accuracy of content on the platform.
A Changing Media Landscape
The Pew findings highlight a profound transformation in the global news landscape, where short-form video, personality-driven storytelling and social platforms are redefining how information is produced, distributed and trusted.
For media organisations, policymakers and journalists, TikTok’s rise as a primary news source among young people presents both an opportunity and a challenge: to meet audiences where they are, while safeguarding accuracy, accountability and public trust in an increasingly decentralised information ecosystem.
