1 in 5 U.S. adults get their news from social media influencers, according to Pew report [View all]

Source: NBC News

Nov. 18, 2024, 10:00 AM EST


Social media influencers were a hot topic during the 2024 presidential race as both parties courted creators ahead of the election. Now, a new Pew Research Center survey reveals just how impactful so-called news influencers are in the current information ecosystem. About 21% of U.S. adults are turning to news influencers for information, with most saying creators “helped them better understand current events and civic issues,” according to the study.

The number was higher among young adults, with 37% of people ages 18 to 29 saying they turn to influencers for news. Pew surveyed 10,000 adults and analyzed 500 news influencers, which it defined as individuals who regularly post about current events and have over 100,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube.

“News influencers have emerged as one of the key alternatives to traditional outlets as a news and information source for a lot of people, especially younger folks,” said the study’s co-author Galen Stocking, a senior computational social scientist at Pew Research Center, in a news release. “And these influencers have really reached new levels of attention and prominence this year amid the presidential election.”

The rise of social media influencers, and in particular news-focused creators, has been slowly embraced by politicians in recent years. Almost a decade ago, then-President Barack Obama surprised some by granting interviews to major YouTube creators.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/news-influencers-social-media-pew-report-rcna179786