Pew Study: Rise of Social Media News Influencers

A Pew Research Center study indicates a growing trend of young Americans receiving news from social media influencers, with 37% of adults aged 18 to 29 regularly consuming news from these sources. Influencers, defined as individuals with over 100,000 followers who discuss current events and civic issues, are predominantly male and tend to lean conservative, although political alignment varies across platforms. The study found that 85% of these influencers are active on X, followed by Instagram and YouTube. This shift in news consumption patterns is occurring alongside the decline of traditional news outlets, as evidenced by the Associated Press's recent layoff announcement. Influencers play a significant role in political campaigns, engaging in voter outreach and fundraising activities, highlighting their influence in the current media landscape. Overall, these findings suggest a continued departure from traditional news media towards more personalized and diverse news consumption via social media.