Explained: More people are avoiding news, turning to social media for information, finds study

The world is in the midst of the biggest election year in history with a little over half of the population headed to the polls, but it is also facing an uncertain time with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war as well as the rise in tensions in the Middle East due to the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

Amid this chaotic time, a growing number of people are selectively avoiding news calling it depressing, often repetitive and boring, according to a recent global study. 

Selected news avoidance at record-high

According to a report by Oxford University’s Reuters Institute, as many as four in 10 (39 per cent) people said that they sometimes or often avoid the news. 

The annual Reuters Institute Digital News Report noted that while this has been a growing trend observed for years now, selected news avoidance is at its highest levels ever recorded. 

This year’s report is based on the responses collected from a total of 94,943 adults across 47 countries by YouGov in January and February.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, may have contributed to some of the record-high levels of news avoidance reported this time around, according to the Reuters Institute report. 

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While the overall interest in news has somewhat stabilised this year, as per the report, the number of people who said that they selectively avoid the news was up by three percentage points to 39 per cent. Notably, this number is 10 percentage points higher than it was in 2017. 

The reason for this avoidance, as per the report, has not changed. People who say that they sometimes or often selectively avoid the news say it is often repetitive and boring. 

However, others told the researchers that the negative nature of the news makes them feel “anxious and powerless.”

“You’ve had the pandemic (and) wars, so it’s a fairly natural reaction for people to turn away from the news, whether it’s to protect their mental health or simply wanting to get on with the rest of their lives,” the report’s lead author Nic Newman told BBC. 

Meanwhile, around 39 per cent said that the news is not only depressing but relentless and they feel “worn out” by the amount these days.

Interest and trust in news

Notably, the historic election year has reportedly led to an increased interest in the news with notable rises observed in a handful of countries including the United States. However, the long-term trend is mostly down in every country except Finland, according to the report.

Overall, 46 per cent of people across the world said they are very or extremely interested in news. The number is down from the 63 per cent recorded in 2017. Women and young people make up a significant proportion of that decline, the Reuters report noted.

The trust in news, according to the report, remained stable at 40 per cent, four points lower than it was at the height of the pandemic. 

People turn to social media

According to the report, a majority of the respondents continued to identify platforms including social media, aggregators, and search engines as their main gateway to online news. However, only 22 per cent identified news websites or apps as their main source of online news. 

On the other hand, the audience for traditional news sources like newspapers or television has seen a sharp decline. 

Meanwhile, the report also noted a “strong shift” towards video-based platforms like YouTube and TikTok as well as Instagram. These platforms have become an important source of news since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The growing popularity and reach of social media can no longer be ignored, with politicians taking to TikTok and other networks to reach young voters - from the new Argentinian President Javier Milei who runs a successful TikTok account with 2.2 million followers, to US President Joe Biden whose campaign sparked controversy by joining the popular social media app despite it being banned on most devices used by the American government over security concerns.

However, YouTube and Facebook, according to the report remain the most important platforms for online news videos overall with the former being the go-to for those under 25. On the other hand, older viewers continued to watch their videos on news websites. 

The report noted that while mainstream media and journalists often lead conversations on X and Facebook, they fail to garner attention on platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok where online influencers and celebrities are prominent. 

Concerns about misinformation, fake news 

While more people have turned to social media for news, a majority of people in this important year of elections have said they are concerned about the reliability of the content online. 

More than 50 countries across the world with a combined population of 4.2 billion are expected to hold national and/or local elections in 2024, making it the biggest election year in history. 

In the US, while interest in news, due to the election, has risen by five percentage points, around 72 per cent of people said they are concerned about what is real and what is fake on the internet when it comes to online news, according to the report.

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Similarly, in India, where the world’s largest general election recently concluded, 58 per cent of people shared the same concern. 

Overall, six in 10 people (59 per cent) said they are concerned about what is real and what is fake on the internet in the context of online news. 

Facebook, X become less popular in India

According to the annual report, the trust in news in India rose by three percentage points to 41 per cent. 

Meanwhile, those surveyed expressed concerns about widespread misinformation via WhatsApp and other social media. Notably, India has the highest number of WhatsApp users in the world. 

For young Indians, according to the report, the main source of news is often social media platforms. 

Nearly half of respondents use YouTube (54 per cent) and WhatsApp (48 per cent) for news each week. Meanwhile, the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook and X has dropped in India, according to the report. 

Furthermore, despite the general decline in news interest, newspapers (40 per cent) and television (46) remained popular platforms for accessing news for the respondents, particularly due to the general elections. 

(With inputs from agencies)