Greece Leads EU in Digital News Consumption While Facing Rising Fake News Challenges

A significant transformation is underway in how Greek citizens consume news, according to a recent European Parliament study that reveals social media has overtaken television as the country’s primary information source.

The Flash Eurobarometer “Social Media Survey 2025,” conducted through online interviews between June 11-18, 2025, shows that 56% of Greeks now rely on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X for their news consumption. This figure substantially exceeds the European Union average of 40%.

Television, which has historically dominated the Greek media landscape, now ranks as the second most popular news source at 54%. The shift represents a stark departure from trends across the rest of the EU, where 71% of citizens continue to rely primarily on television for daily news updates.

The digital transformation is happening alongside concerning trends in information quality. The survey revealed that 74% of Greeks encountered “fake news” or disinformation at least once during the week before participating in the study, exceeding the EU average of 66%. This growing prevalence of misinformation presents significant challenges for public discourse and democratic processes in Greece.

Traditional print media and their digital counterparts are struggling to maintain relevance amid this changing landscape. Only 34% of Greeks now turn to printed newspapers, magazines, or their online versions for information, compared to 41% across the EU. This decline suggests growing challenges for legacy media organizations attempting to navigate the digital transition.

Within Greece’s social media ecosystem, Facebook maintains its dominant position, with 68% of Greek social media users turning to the platform for news consumption—slightly higher than the EU average of 58%. However, clear generational differences are emerging in platform preferences.

Among Greeks aged 15-24, Instagram has established itself as the leading information source, with 66% of this demographic using it as their main channel for social and political current affairs. This trend aligns with similar patterns observed among young people across the European Union. For Greeks aged 25 and older, Facebook remains the predominant social media news source.

The findings illustrate a broader global trend of declining traditional media consumption, particularly among younger demographics who have grown up in the digital era. Social media platforms offer immediacy, interactivity, and personalized content experiences that many traditional media outlets struggle to match.

For media organizations and policymakers in Greece, these trends pose significant questions about ensuring access to quality information. With social media algorithms often prioritizing engagement over accuracy, concerns about information bubbles and polarization become increasingly relevant.

The shift also has implications for political communication in Greece. Politicians and public institutions must increasingly develop digital-first communication strategies to reach citizens where they now consume information. At the same time, they face the challenge of combating misinformation on platforms they don’t directly control.

Greece’s accelerated embrace of social media for news consumption compared to EU averages may reflect several factors, including the country’s rapid digital adoption in recent years, demographic trends, and potentially lower levels of trust in traditional media institutions following the country’s economic crisis.

As this digital transition continues, the balance between innovation and safeguarding information integrity remains a critical challenge for Greek society and its democratic institutions.