Social media has officially surpassed news websites as the main source of news for Australians, according to the 2025 Digital News Report: Australia.
This shift marks a significant turning point in how the public accesses information and reflects deeper trends: growing distrust in traditional media, increasing concern about the spread of misinformation, and a broader disengagement from news altogether. As audiences turn away from established outlets in favour of algorithm-driven platforms, questions arise about the future of journalism, public trust, and informed citizenship.
The report, produced by the News and Media Research Centre at the University of Canberra, reveals that 26 per cent of Australians now get their news primarily through social media, compared to 23 per cent from online news sites. Trust in news has plummeted to just 32 per cent, down from 40 per cent in 2016, while news avoidance has soared, with 69 per cent saying they sometimes or often avoid the news.
Researchers surveyed more than 2,000 Australian adults as part of a broader study across 48 countries conducted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University. Disturbingly, Australians topped the list globally for concern about what’s real or fake online, with three-quarters expressing worry, especially on Facebook (59 per cent) and TikTok (57 per cent).
While Facebook remains the dominant platform for news consumption (used by 38 per cent), video-based services like YouTube (31 per cent) and Instagram (20 per cent) are gaining traction. TikTok, in particular, is booming, with news use up to 14 per cent, a dramatic rise from just 2 per cent in 2020, largely driven by younger audiences.
But the increasing shift toward social media comes at a cost. The report finds a significant erosion in trust, driven by concerns about bias, sensationalism, and the sheer volume of online content. Almost half of those who avoid news say it negatively affects their mood, while 37 per cent cite bias or lack of trust, and 32 per cent feel overwhelmed by news fatigue.
Calls for News Literacy training
This environment has exposed a glaring gap in Australians’ ability to critically navigate news and information: 70 per cent report never having received any form of news literacy education. Only 5 per cent of people aged 65+ have had any such training, compared to more than half of those aged 18–24. Gender and geographic gaps are also present, with fewer women and residents from rural areas having received media literacy education.
The consequences are clear: those who have received news literacy training are more likely to pay for news, trust journalism, and actively verify information. They’re also less likely to avoid news, even when concerned about misinformation. As the study shows, 50 per cent of news-literate respondents verify information using trusted sources, compared to only 36 per cent of those without such training.
With public trust in journalism faltering and social media’s influence rising, the report issues a powerful call to action. “There is a growing need for citizens to be equipped with news literacy education,” the authors argued, highlighting the importance of fostering a population capable of critical thinking, fact-checking, and civic engagement, especially in a time of polarisation and populism.
“With half of people who pay for news saying they have received some kind of news literacy training, increasing media literacy levels across the population also makes good economic sense for the news industry”.
