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The purpose of this timeline is to chart the increase in use of social media to consume news in the context of major events in the U.S.. This relates to topics discussed in DIGS-200, such as media literacy and fact checking in the digital age.
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The presidency marked a new way Americans interact with social media and obtain news, as it was the first time that a president communicated primarily through social media. This time period is also denoted by a rhetoric of 'fake news' and increased media mistrust surrounding journalism and news sources. These changes in traditional political narratives led many to use and seek social media as a news source
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A study conducted by Pew Research center in 2018 found 1 in 5 Americans get their news from social media, surpassing print newspaper for the first time.
"Social media outpaces print newspapers in the U.S. as a news source." Pew Research Center, Washington D.C. 2018 https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/12/10/social-media-outpaces-print-newspapers-in-the-u-s-as-a-news-source/ -
A 2019 study by Pew Research Center found that 83% of Americans see biased news on social media as an issue, yet many people rely on these platforms for their news and this amount will increase in years following. Media literacy is key in discerning biased news on social media as another study found, "it was observed that media literacy moderated the relationship between need for news and news avoidance" (Tian). [Image courtesy of Pixabay] See sources on next point -
"Americans are wary of the role social media sites play in delivering the news." Pew Research Center, Washington D.C. 2019 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2019/10/02/americans-are-wary-of-the-role-social-media-sites-play-in-delivering-the-news/
Tian, Qiuxia. “Impact of Social Media News Overload on Social Media News Avoidance and Filtering: Moderating Effect of Media Literacy.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 13 862626. 10 Mar. 2022, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.862626 -
In 2020, Pew Research Center found that more than half (53%) of American adults say they get news from social media "often" or "sometimes". This study highlights a shift in news consumption and an increased reliance on social media as a reliable source for news. In the same study, researchers found that Facebook was the leading site for news among the group, with 36% regularly getting news on the platform. (see next point for citation due to character limits) -
"News Use Across Social Media Platforms in 2020." Pew Research Center, Washington D.C. 2020 https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/09/20/news-consumption-across-social-media-in-2021/#fn-88343-1
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In 2021, Pew Research Center found that 4 in 10 Americans see social media as "an important way" to receive information about COVID-19 vaccines. This raises concern regarding the validity of social media news posts and ways misinformation can rapidly spread on these platforms. See next point for citation [Image courtesy of Pixabay] -
"About four-in-ten Americans say social media is an important way of following COVID-19 vaccine news." Pew Research Center, Washington D.C. 2021, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/08/24/about-four-in-ten-americans-say-social-media-is-an-important-way-of-following-covid-19-vaccine-news/
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In 2021, a Pew Research Center study found that 19% of tweets about news are original content, which highlights the amount misinformation can circulate. To ensure information on Twitter is accurate, examine the original account and find additional reporting on the topic from other sources.
"How Americans Tweet About The News." Pew Research Center, Washington D.C. 2021, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/12/14/how-americans-tweet-about-the-news/ -
News consumption on social media has rapidly increased in recent years, due to political and public health factors. The need for media literacy and source checking is stronger than ever, as finding news on social media can be posted by anyone and be biased or false information.