Report Finds X Remains a Key News Source for Many

It seems that reports of X’s demise could be premature, with the latest Reuters Institute Digital News Report showing that X is still a key source of news and information in many regions, despite the recent changes at the app.

Reuters’ digital news consumption report is based on responses from close to 100,000 people across 48 countries, with an average of 2,000 respondents from each nation. So it’s a big sample size, providing insight into key trends, which would be largely indicative of the general popularity of the major news sources.

You can download the full 171-page report here, which includes a heap more specific insight into key news engagement trends. But in this post, we’ll dig into the social media elements specifically, and how X remains a key news source for many, many users.

Indeed, according to the data, usage of X for news has remained stable, or has increased, across many markets.

As you can see in this chart, looking at the U.S. market specifically, right-leaning interest has increased in the app, which makes sense given the conservative push led by the platform’s owner and most followed user Elon Musk.

As per the report:

“Since Elon Musk took over the network in 2022 many more right-leaning people, notably young men, have flocked to the network, while some progressive audiences have left or are using it less frequently. Rival networks like Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon are making little impact globally, with reach of 2% or less for news.”

The report says that the U.S. election has re-energized the platform to some degree, as more people turn to X for news and information.

“Our poll, which was conducted in the weeks after the inauguration, showed that the use of X for news was 8 points higher than the previous year, reaching almost a quarter (23%) of the adult population.”

According to the data, X’s usage for news has increased in the U.S., Australia, and Poland specifically.

And overall, X remains steady as a news source:

As you can see, Facebook’s usage as a news provider has declined, though it is now picking up again since Meta stopped penalizing news content. Instagram, Snapchat and Bluesky are also rising in terms of news interest, while TikTok continues to gain more influence.

“Overall, a third (33%) of our global sample use TikTok for any purpose and about half of those use the app for news (17%). The fastest growth is in Thailand, where almost half of our sample (49%) now uses TikTok for news, up 10pp on last year, but there are increases everywhere, especially with younger groups.” 

Given the ongoing debate around the influence of the Chinese government over TikTok trends, that could be a concern, and could lead to more nations taking the U.S. path of seeking to sever the app’s ties with its Chinese homeland.

Though that hasn’t exactly worked out either, but if the belief is that the CCP is able to influence TikTok content, then the app’s rising presence as a news provider will raise more concerns in more regions.

The report also looks at the rising influence of influencers as news sources, particularly in younger-focused apps.

As you can see in this chart, on Snapchat and TikTok, creators now have more presence as news resources than traditional media outlets.

Though that may also contribute to, or be inspired by, this element:

More and more people are questioning the accuracy of what they see online. Which could suggest that influencers, with whom people have developed a relationship, are now seen as more trustworthy in some cases than mainstream providers, and that could hold as these younger users move into older age brackets.

That points to the need for increased digital literacy, which should be part of every school curriculum worldwide. Some nations have already seen great success in teaching skepticism of online sources, and this is an important life skill in the modern age.

Especially if you’re going to trust X as your key source of news.

Many reports have found that X enables the amplification of misinformation, with its Community Notes model failing to slow the spread of some of the most harmful, dangerous content.

But it remains a key news source for many, which could point to a larger concern.

But then again, X isn’t considered the worst culprit on this front:

Facebook and TikTok are seemingly trusted less overall, particularly in African nations. Maybe, then, X’s influence is more concentrated in the Western world, while other platforms play a bigger role in swaying opinion in other regions.

Which could be another point of concern in TikTok’s growth, dpeending on how you look at it.

Either way, some interesting trend notes, which provide a snapshot of the modern media landscape.

You can download the full Reuters Institute “Digital News Report 2025” here.