Social media has surpassed traditional media as the world's leading source of news for the first time, according to a major international study published by researchers at the University of Oxford.

The annual Digital News Report, released on Tuesday, surveyed nearly 100,000 news consumers across 48 countries and found that social media platforms have become the primary gateway to news for people of all age groups, marking a significant shift in global media consumption habits.

According to the report, 54% of respondents said they had used social media as a source of news at least once during the previous week, compared with 51% who relied on traditional media outlets such as television, radio, and news websites.

The findings indicate that social media's influence has expanded well beyond younger audiences, who have long been at the forefront of digital news consumption. Researchers noted that this is the first time social media has emerged as a major news source across virtually all age groups and markets surveyed.

Globally, 30% of respondents identified social media and video-sharing platforms as their main source of news, up from 22% in 2020. Among people aged 18 to 24, the figure rises dramatically to 52%, making social media by far the dominant source of information for younger audiences.

At the same time, traditional media has continued to lose ground. Since 2020, television news consumption has fallen by 13 percentage points, while the use of news apps has declined by 12 points. In contrast, social media news consumption increased in nearly half of the markets included in the study.

Researchers said the transition has been gradual rather than abrupt. Many respondents cited convenience and changing viewing habits as reasons for turning to social media, with some saying they simply watch less television than they did in previous years.

The report described the trend as "more of a drift than a shift," but emphasized that it nevertheless represents a significant turning point for the global news industry.

Despite the overall rise of social media, traditional news organizations continue to maintain a strong position in several countries. Television, radio, and established news websites remain the dominant news sources in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Croatia, as well as in several Asian markets.

Researchers attributed this resilience largely to higher levels of public trust in established media institutions. In these countries, audiences are generally less dependent on individual content creators and influencers for news and continue to rely heavily on professional journalism outlets.

The report also highlighted how social media is increasingly shaping public understanding of international conflicts. In countries where social media dominates news consumption, users expressed criticism of traditional media coverage of major global events, including the conflict involving Iran and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Nearly 40% of respondents under the age of 35 said social media was the best way to follow developments related to the conflict involving Iran, while older audiences continued to prefer television broadcasts and news websites.

The study also examined the growing role of artificial intelligence in news consumption. While AI-powered tools have attracted considerable attention, only 10% of respondents reported using artificial intelligence as a source of news during the previous week.

Researchers concluded that AI has not yet become a mainstream news source, but warned that recent changes in online search technologies could accelerate its influence. The report specifically noted that search engines' increasing emphasis on AI-generated responses may significantly alter how people discover and consume news in the future.

The findings underscore the profound transformation underway in the global media landscape, as digital platforms continue to reshape how audiences access information and how news organizations compete for attention in an increasingly fragmented information environment. (ILKHA)