US Teens Rely More on Social Media for News Than Adults

A national study reveals that U.S. teenagers rely more heavily on social media and influencers for news than adults, signaling a shift in information consumption habits among younger generations.

The Media Insight Project poll, conducted in February by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the American Press Institute and journalism schools at Northwestern University and the University of Maryland, surveyed 2,101 Americans, including 1,009 teens ages 13 to 17 and 1,092 adults 18 and older. It found that 57 percent of teens get news from social media at least once a day, compared with 36 percent of adults. Similarly, 57 percent of teens sometimes turn to influencers or independent content creators for information on national issues, versus 43 percent of adults.

Teenagers also favor search engines and artificial intelligence chatbots more than their elders. About 40 percent of teens use search daily for news, and 20 percent do so with AI tools. Usage of traditional outlets remains comparable across age groups: roughly 40 percent of both teens and adults get news daily from television or streaming, and a similar share from digital news sites or apps.