--- title: "4. Instagram users’ experiences with news " description: "Just a third of Instagram users say news is a reason they use the site. News content they do see there is often from friends or family." date: "2024-06-12" authors: - name: "Elisa Shearer" job_title: "Senior Researcher" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/elisa-shearer/" - name: "Sarah Naseer" job_title: "Former Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/sarah-naseer/" - name: "Jacob Liedke" job_title: "Former Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/jacob-liedke/" - name: "Katerina Eva Matsa" job_title: "Director, News and Information Research" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/katerina-eva-matsa/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/instagram-users-experiences-with-news/" categories: - "Facebook" - "Instagram" - "Social Media & the News" - "TikTok" - "Twitter (X)" datasets: - name: "American Trends Panel Wave 144" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/dataset/american-trends-panel-wave-144/" --- # 4. Instagram users’ experiences with news  About half of Americans [use Instagram](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-social-media-use/), and the site is especially popular among [younger adults](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-social-media-use/#:~:text=Q%26A.-,Stark%20age%20differences%20in%20who%20uses%20each%20app%20or%20site,-Adults%20under%2030) and [teens](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/teens-and-social-media-fact-sheet/). In addition to [being a space for social connection](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/06/12/how-instagram-users-view-experience-the-platform/) and other functions, Instagram serves as a source of news and information for some: 16% of U.S. adults said last year that they [regularly get news](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/) there. Our survey looks at U.S. Instagram users’ experiences with getting news. Among the key findings: - **Three-in-ten Instagram users say they regularly get news on the platform, and one-third say getting news is a reason they use it.** But most Instagram users encounter news on the platform in some form – often as opinions or funny posts that reference current events. - **Friends, family and acquaintances are the most common news source on Instagram. **Among Americans who regularly get news on Instagram, 72% say they ever get news from friends, family and acquaintances there. About two-thirds of Instagram news consumers get news from news outlets or journalists (65%). - **There is little difference in views of news on Instagram** **between the two major political parties **([in contrast with Facebook](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/facebook-users-experiences-with-news/), which is also owned by Meta). About a quarter of news consumers of both parties (28% of Republicans and 24% of Democrats) say they often see news on Instagram that seems inaccurate, and similar portions of both parties think the platform influences which news stories they see a lot. ### How people get news on Instagram [![Bar chart showing few Instagram users cite news as a major reason they use the platform](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-01.png?w=620)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169455) Three-in-ten U.S. Instagram users say they regularly get news on the platform, [lower than the share of users on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and Facebook](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/how-americans-get-news-on-tiktok-x-facebook-and-instagram/#aside-from-x-most-users-on-each-platform-dont-regularly-get-news-there-but-large-majorities-encounter-news-in-some-form) who are regular news consumers on each site. And two-thirds of Instagram users say getting news is *not* a reason they use Instagram, while a third say getting news is either a major (8%) or minor (25%) reason. [*Read more:* *Reasons for using Instagram*](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/06/12/how-instagram-users-view-experience-the-platform/) But most Instagram users report seeing news-related content, regardless of whether they specifically turn to the platform for news. [![Bar chart showing on Instagram, most users see news-related humor and opinions](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-02.png?w=840)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169456) For instance, 73% of Instagram users say they ever see funny posts that reference current events on the site, and two-thirds report seeing people expressing opinions about current events. About half (52%) say they ever see news articles – whether from posts, reposts, links or screenshots – and just under half (44%) see information about a breaking news event as it’s happening on Instagram. #### What sources people get news from on Instagram [![Bar chart showing friends, family and acquaintances are most common news sources on Instagram](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-03.png?w=840)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169457) Americans who say they regularly get news on Instagram are seeing news from a variety of different sources on the platform. Among these Instagram news consumers, 72% say they ever get news from friends, family and acquaintances, 65% get news from news outlets or journalists, and 59% get news from influencers or celebrities. About half of Instagram news consumers report getting news from advocacy groups or nonprofits (52%). Aside from these sources, 64% say they ever get news from other people they don’t know personally. ### Views about news on Instagram #### Inaccurate information [![Bar chart showing 1 in 4 Instagram news consumers say they often see inaccurate news there](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-04.png?w=620)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169458) A majority of Instagram news consumers say they see information that seems inaccurate on the site at least sometimes (76%), including a quarter who report seeing inaccurate information extremely or fairly often. ##### Views by party Perceptions about inaccurate information on Instagram do not differ significantly by party affiliation. Roughly a quarter of Republicans and independents who lean toward the GOP (28%) as well as Democrats and Democratic leaners (24%) say they often see news that seems inaccurate on Instagram. #### Instagram’s influence on the news users see [![Bar chart showing about 1 in 4 Instagram news consumers say they think Instagram influences the news stories they see a lot](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-05.png?w=620)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169459) About seven-in-ten Americans who regularly get news on Instagram (72%) say they think the platform influences which news stories they see there at least somewhat. This includes 27% who say Instagram influences the news they see *a lot* and 45% who say Instagram exerts *some* influence. Roughly a quarter of Instagram news consumers (27%) say the site doesn’t influence the news content they see much or at all. ##### Views by party Again, there are virtually no partisan differences in perceptions of Instagram’s influence on news stories. Similar shares of Republican (29%) and Democratic (26%) news consumers say they think Instagram influences the news stories they see a lot. #### Instagram as a source of unique news [![Bar chart showing 21% of Instagram news consumers say most news on the site is content they wouldn’t have seen elsewhere](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-06.png?w=840)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169460) When asked whether the news on Instagram is unique or available elsewhere, 21% of Instagram news consumers say the news they get on the site is mostly news they would *not* have gotten elsewhere. On the other hand, 34% say the news they get on Instagram is mostly news they would have seen somewhere else if they didn’t use Instagram. About four-in-ten news consumers (43%) say the news is an even mix of these two things. #### Feeling worn out by news on Instagram [![Bar chart showing 64% of Instagram news consumers say they are worn out by news on the platform at least sometimes](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2024/05/PJ_2024.06.12_social-media-platforms-news_4-07.png?w=620)](https://www.pewresearch.org/?attachment_id=169461) Among Americans who regularly get news on Instagram, nearly two-thirds (64%) say they at least sometimes feel worn out by the news they see on the platform, including 17% who feel this way extremely or fairly often. Instagram news consumers [who see at least some political content](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/06/12/how-americans-navigate-politics-on-tiktok-x-facebook-and-instagram/) (i.e., posts about politics or political issues) on Instagram are much more likely than others to feel worn out at least sometimes by the news they see on the site (73% vs. 53%). --- **Next:** [Acknowledgments](https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2024/06/12/social-media-platforms-news-acknowledgments.md)