1 in 5 U.S. adults get their news from social media influencers, according to Pew report

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: NBC News

Nov. 18, 2024, 10:00 AM EST


Social media influencers were a hot topic during the 2024 presidential race as both parties courted creators ahead of the election. Now, a new Pew Research Center survey reveals just how impactful so-called news influencers are in the current information ecosystem. About 21% of U.S. adults are turning to news influencers for information, with most saying creators “helped them better understand current events and civic issues,” according to the study.

The number was higher among young adults, with 37% of people ages 18 to 29 saying they turn to influencers for news. Pew surveyed 10,000 adults and analyzed 500 news influencers, which it defined as individuals who regularly post about current events and have over 100,000 followers on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X or YouTube.

“News influencers have emerged as one of the key alternatives to traditional outlets as a news and information source for a lot of people, especially younger folks,” said the study’s co-author Galen Stocking, a senior computational social scientist at Pew Research Center, in a news release. “And these influencers have really reached new levels of attention and prominence this year amid the presidential election.”

The rise of social media influencers, and in particular news-focused creators, has been slowly embraced by politicians in recent years. Almost a decade ago, then-President Barack Obama surprised some by granting interviews to major YouTube creators.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/news-influencers-social-media-pew-report-rcna179786

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Link to Pew REPORT - America’s News Influencers

[NoRethugFriends]

1. Influencer is about the most disgusting term imaginable (Other than Trump's first and secong)

They can all go stand near windows in Moscow

[unblock]

2. "Influencer" is fine for non-political things. in politics, the appropriate term is "propagandist".

[Martin68]

5. I don't see why you would exclude politics.

[unblock]

7. Because there's a more specific term.

[NoRethugFriends]

8. Disagree. I hate therm and the practioners, political or otherwise.

[unblock]

9. Not saying I approve, just saying I'm fine with the word.

[NoRethugFriends]

10. I understand. The concept of leading sheep on social platforms disgusts me.

[truddy777]

3. Interesting stats

It makes sense, especially for younger people, since they’re already spending so much time on platforms like TikTok or YouTube. I think it also shows how traditional news outlets might need to adapt to stay relevant.

[Martin68]

4. I suspect the number is much higher than 1 in 5. Is there agreement on the definition of "social media influencer?"

I would suggest Trump, Musk, Tucker Carlson, and many other administration supporters are "social media influencers."

[PortTack]

6. They maybe be SM influencers, but not much with the younger generation if at all.

[womanofthehills]

11. 100,000,000 young Americans are on Twitter

Mostly 18 to 45. That’s a lot and most spend 30 minutes a day on Twitter. This is the reason I think Dems should stay on Twitter - to influence the young.

Also, the Rogan - Trump 3 hr podcast got over 100 million views.

Many believe Kamala should have done the Rogan interview and been much more visible on social media.