Social media is becoming the primary source of information in the world.

A new chapter is beginning for traditional media. According to the 2026 edition of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's annual report, social media and video platforms are now the leading source of information worldwide. For the first time since the creation of this benchmark study, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram have overtaken television, online newspapers, and radio in the public's news consumption habits.

The study, conducted with nearly 100,000 people in 48 countries, shows that 54% of respondents use social media or video platforms weekly to get their news. This proportion rises to 56% when conversational artificial intelligence tools are included in their news consumption. Meanwhile, television usage declines to 52%, while traditional media websites and apps fall to 51%.

A major upheaval for the media

The trend is particularly pronounced among younger generations. More than half of 18- to 24-year-olds now consider social media their primary source of news. Conversely, no age group currently ranks traditional news sites as their primary source of information.

This trend further weakens an economic model already under pressure. Only 17% of respondents say they pay to access online information. At the same time, a growing share of advertising revenue is being captured by large digital platforms, reducing the resources available to traditional newsrooms.

The report also highlights the continued growth of content creators specializing in current events, such as the HugoDécrypte phenomenon in France. These new players directly compete with traditional media outlets for younger audiences thanks to short formats adapted to mobile devices and social media.

AI is becoming integrated into everyday life.

Another key finding of the study: artificial intelligence continues its rapid advance. Now, 10% of respondents report using chatbots weekly to stay informed, compared to 7% a year earlier. This rapid growth is prompting media groups to rethink their information distribution and production strategies.

At the same time, trust in the media continues to erode. Only 37% of respondents say they trust most news most of the time, a historically low level according to the report's authors.

The report highlights a major shift in the public's news consumption habits. For the first time globally, social media and video platforms have overtaken traditional media as the primary source of news. This trend confirms the growing importance of TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook in information dissemination and is forcing established players to rethink their strategies for reaching audiences.