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Australians Wary of Social Media Influencers as News Sources, Study Finds
As traditional news consumption continues to decline, more Australians are turning to social media personalities for information, despite considering them the biggest threat for spreading misinformation, according to new research released today.
The Digital News Report: Australia 2025, part of a global survey spanning 48 countries commissioned by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University, reveals that 57% of Australians view online influencers as major sources of misinformation—higher than activists (51%), foreign governments (49%), Australian politicians (48%), and traditional news media (43%).
This stands in stark contrast to the United States, where national politicians are viewed as the primary source of misleading information at 57%, significantly higher than the 47% global average across the 42 countries surveyed.
The comprehensive study, conducted by YouGov in early 2025 with 2,006 Australian adults, paints a concerning picture of news consumption habits. General news avoidance remains stubbornly high, with 69% of respondents actively trying to avoid news content—a trend particularly pronounced among women, young people, and those living in regional areas.
Despite this avoidance, Australians express significant concern about distinguishing truth from falsehood online. A striking 74% report being worried about what is real or fake on the internet—the highest level of concern globally.
Social media platforms themselves face particular scrutiny, with Facebook (59%) and TikTok (57%) perceived as the greatest misinformation threats. This concern grows more significant as social media becomes increasingly central to news consumption, with 26% of Australians now using it as their primary news source—an eight percentage point increase since 2016.
TikTok’s meteoric rise as a news platform is especially noteworthy, with usage jumping from just 1% in 2020 to 14% today. Young Australians in particular gravitate toward information shared by influencers on the platform, despite their skepticism about its reliability.
The findings come in the wake of the federal government’s controversial Combatting Misinformation and Disinformation Bill, which was withdrawn late last year following intense debate about determining truth online and assigning responsibility for countering false information.
When asked about content moderation, one-third of Australians (33%) believe platforms like TikTok and YouTube aren’t removing enough harmful content, while 21% think too much is being removed—suggesting most Australians want stronger action from tech companies.
Media literacy education emerges as a potential solution in the research. The study found that people with formal news literacy training were significantly more likely to verify suspicious information using reputable sources or official websites. However, only 24% of respondents reported receiving such education.
The benefits of news literacy extend beyond fact-checking behaviors. Those with media education showed greater interest in news, higher trust in reporting, less news avoidance, and more willingness to pay for quality journalism—suggesting both civic and economic advantages to expanding such programs.
As social media’s role in information dissemination continues to evolve, the report indicates two clear priorities for addressing misinformation in Australia: expanding access to comprehensive media literacy training across all demographic groups and implementing stronger regulations requiring digital platforms to more aggressively remove harmful and misleading content.
The challenge remains finding the balance between reducing harm and protecting free expression in an increasingly complex digital landscape where traditional gatekeepers hold diminishing influence over public discourse.
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9 Comments
Interesting, I wonder what’s driving this trend of Australians turning to social media influencers for news despite seeing them as a major source of misinformation. Perhaps it speaks to a broader issue of trust in traditional media and institutions.
This is quite concerning. Social media influencers often lack the training and rigorous fact-checking processes of professional journalists. Relying on them for news could really contribute to the spread of misinformation.
Agreed, it’s a worrying development. Australians need to be more discerning consumers of online content and seek out authoritative, fact-based news sources.
This trend is not unique to Australia – we’re seeing similar issues with the rise of misinformation and erosion of trust in media institutions in many countries. Combating this will require a multi-pronged approach.
It’s interesting to see the contrast between Australia and the US on perceptions of politicians as misinformation sources. Cultural and political differences likely play a role here.
Yes, the varying perceptions across countries underscores how complex and context-dependent the misinformation challenge is. Finding solutions will require tailored, local approaches.
While social media influencers may provide entertainment and lifestyle content, they should not be primary sources for hard news and current affairs. Australians need to be more discerning in their media consumption.
The high level of news avoidance is concerning. People need access to reliable, fact-based information to make informed decisions. This trend could have serious implications for democracy and civic discourse.
The finding that Australians view politicians as less of a misinformation threat than influencers is surprising. I wonder if this speaks to a larger distrust in traditional political institutions globally.