Journalism Study

 According to a recent report, “‘Biased,’ ‘Boring’ and ‘Bad’: Unpacking perceptions of news media and journalism among U.S. teens,” released in November 2025, 45 percent of teens said that journalists do more harm to democracy than protect it.

Biased, boring’ and ‘bad’: Unpacking perceptions of news media and journalism among U.S. teens. (2025).  News Literacy Project. https://newslit.org/news-and-research/teens-and-news-media/

Teens and Media Literacy Survey

 A new report  reveals that 94% of teens believe media literacy should be a mandatory part of school curricula, yet only 39% have received such instruction. The report highlights the prevalence of conspiracy theories on social media, with 80% of teens encountering them and 81% inclined to believe at least one.

News literacy in America: A survey of teen information attitudes, habits and skills. (2024). News Literacy Project.

https://newslit.org/news-literacy-in-america/ 

News Gathered on Social Media

In a Pew Research Center report that is part of a series aimed at understanding how news and information habits relate to the use of Twitter and Facebook among the American public, it was found that clear majorities of Twitter (63%) and Facebook users (63%) now say each platform serves as a source for news about events and issues outside the realm of friends and family. That share has increased substantially from 2013, when about half of users (52% of Twitter users, 47% of Facebook users) said they got news from the social platforms. Although both social networks have the same portion of users getting news on these sites, there are significant differences in their potential news distribution strengths. The proportion of users who say they follow breaking news on Twitter, for example, is nearly twice as high as those who say they do so on Facebook (59% vs. 31%) – lending support, perhaps, to the view that Twitter’s great strength is providing as-it-happens coverage and commentary on live events.

Mitchell, A., Barthel, M., Shearer, E., Gottfried, J., Matsa, K. E., Keeter, S., Porteus, M., & Greenwood, S. (2015). The evolving role of news on Twitter and Facebook. Washington, D.C.: Pew Research Center. http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2015/07/Twitter-and-News-Survey-Report-FINAL2.pdf

News and Teens Study

In a newly released study, 66% of the children surveyed nationally said they trust "a lot" of the news they receive from their family, compared with 25% who said they trust news organizations.  Just 44% of the children surveyed agreed they can tell fake news stories from real news stories.Youth  consume a wide range of news, often as a byproduct of their frequent use of the mobile devices and social media applications they carry around in their pockets. But they view much of the news they encounter as biased and unreflective of their own experiences. Some other findings about 10-18 year olds' new behaviors follow:
Children often receive news information from their families, friends, and teachers.
Still, children—especially teens—prefer to get their news via social media.
Fake news is still a big problem, not not the only one. What they see and read often makes them feel afraid, angry, and depressed.

Common Sense Media (2017). News and America's Kids: How Young People Perceive and Are Impacted by the News.

Perceptions about fake news

According to a new survey by Pew Research Center, most Americans suspect that made-up news is having an impact. About two-in-three U.S. adults (64%) say fabricated news stories cause a great deal of confusion about the basic facts of current issues and events. When it comes to how to prevent the spread of fake news, many Americans expect social networking sites, politicians and the public itself to do their share.
Barthel, M., Mitchell, A., & Holcomb, J. (2016). Many Americans believe fake news is sowing confusion. Washington, DC; Pew Research Center.
http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2016/12/14154753/PJ_2016.12.15_fake-news_FINAL.pdf

News evaluation study

A new study shows that trust and reliability in news can be broken down into specific factors, such as accuracy, timeliness and clarity. The study also finds that in the digital age, several new factors largely unexamined before—such as the intrusiveness of ads, navigability, load times and having the latest details—also are critical in determining whether consumers consider a publisher competent and worthy of trust.
Media Insight Project. (2016). What makes people trust news? Arlington, VA: American Press Institute. 
https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/trust-news/