Trust, Misinformation Concerns Drive Decline in Social Media News Consumption, Report Finds

Social media usage for news consumption has begun to decline in several major markets after years of steady growth, according to the 2018 Digital News Report released by the Reuters Institute. The comprehensive study, which surveyed 74,000 people across 37 countries spanning five continents, reveals a six percentage point drop in the United States, with similar downward trends observed in the United Kingdom and France.

Facebook appears to be bearing the brunt of this decline, with fewer users discovering, posting, and sharing news on the platform. As public discourse on social media becomes increasingly confrontational, consumers are migrating toward more private messaging applications for news consumption and discussion.

WhatsApp has emerged as a particularly popular alternative for news consumption in several markets. The messaging platform is now used by approximately half of online users surveyed in Malaysia (54%) and Brazil (48%), while reaching about a third of users in Spain (36%) and Turkey (30%).

Trust remains a critical issue in the digital news ecosystem. The report found that the average level of trust in news across all surveyed countries stands at 44%, with 51% of respondents saying they trust the news sources they personally use. However, trust levels drop significantly for news found through search engines (34%) and social media (23%).

Concerns about misinformation continue to dominate the media landscape. Over half of all respondents (54%) expressed worry about distinguishing between real and fake content online. This anxiety reaches its highest levels in politically polarized countries with high social media usage, such as Brazil (85%), Spain (69%), and the United States (64%). In contrast, countries like Germany (37%) and the Netherlands (30%), which experienced relatively untroubled recent elections, show lower levels of concern.

When asked who bears responsibility for addressing fake news, respondents placed the onus primarily on publishers (75%) and platforms (71%). This reflects a nuanced understanding of misinformation, with many respondents identifying biased or inaccurate reporting from mainstream media as more problematic than completely fabricated news or foreign interference.

Public support for government intervention varies significantly by region. Europeans (60%) and Asians (63%) generally favor greater government action to combat misinformation, while only 41% of Americans support increased government involvement.

The report introduces news literacy measurements for the first time, revealing that individuals with higher news literacy tend to prefer traditional newspaper brands over television. They also demonstrate distinctly different social media usage patterns and express more caution regarding government interventions to address misinformation.

Trust in news brands varies significantly, with the report finding that organizations with broadcasting backgrounds and established heritage generally earn the highest trust scores. In contrast, popular newspapers and digital-native outlets tend to rank lowest in consumer trust.

Digital distribution channels continue to evolve in importance. News apps, email newsletters, and mobile notifications are gaining traction, though users in some markets report feeling overwhelmed by message volume, particularly from aggregators like Apple News and Upday.

Paid news subscriptions have increased marginally in many countries, with notable upticks in Nordic nations including Norway (+4 percentage points), Sweden (+6), and Finland (+4). These markets feature a small number of publishers who have aggressively implemented various paywall strategies. The “Trump Bump” in U.S. subscriptions has held steady, while donation-based models are emerging as viable alternatives in Spain, the UK, and the United States, particularly among younger, politically engaged audiences.

Privacy concerns have contributed to renewed growth in ad-blocking technology, with over a quarter of respondents (27%) now using ad blockers on at least one device. Usage rates vary dramatically by country, from 42% in Greece to just 13% in South Korea.

Despite ongoing declines in viewership, television remains a vital news source for many consumers. However, these continuing audience losses raise questions about public broadcasters’ future roles and their ability to connect with younger viewers.

The report also highlights the growing popularity of podcasts, particularly in the United States (33%) compared to the UK (18%), with young people increasingly choosing podcasts over traditional radio news. Voice-activated assistants like Amazon Echo and Google Home have seen usage more than double in the U.S., Germany, and the UK, with approximately half of device owners using them to access news and information.