1 in 4 Australians Get Most of Their News From Social Media Despite Deep Distrust: Study

While publishers globally struggle to sell subscriptions, Australians are more willing to pay for online news content.

A 13-year-old boy poses at his home as he looks at social media on his mobile phone in Sydney, Australia on Dec. 8, 2025. Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images

The number of Australians relying on social media as their main source of news has risen marginally, but large numbers distrust the major platforms, the 2026 Digital News Report reveals.

One in four (26 percent) of over 2,000 surveyed in the University of Canberra’s annual study say social media is their main source of news, overtaking online news websites (23 percent) for the first time.