Is social media a friend or a foe for journalism?

FROM Facebook to Twitter to Twitch, social networks are becoming increasingly important as sources of news, to the great skepticism of media professionals. Indeed, many of them think that these platforms are damaging the sector, according to a new US study.

For the past few years, internet users have been relying on social networks as a source of news. A habit that is not without danger for the more than 1,500 US journalists and media professionals surveyed in the latest edition of the "Medill Media Industry Survey." More than 90% of them believe that social networks provide a "worse mix of news" to their users.

More than 86% also say that these platforms have a lot of influence on the news content that internet users have access to -- with Meta's Facebook in the lead. A third of Americans say they regularly get news on Mark Zuckerberg's social network, according to the Pew Research Center. This is almost certainly reinforced by the 2015 launch of "Instant Articles," a feature that allows external content to display faster on mobile.

It's a similar story for Twitter. Nearly 70% of Americans using the social network check the latest news there, according to a report from the Pew Research Center. More surprisingly -- and more worryingly for the media -- a majority of them believe that this information is trustworthy. Yet this is not always the case. In September 2020, Twitter decided to display warning banners to encourage its users to read articles before sharing them, in a bid to limit the spread of false information on the platform.

Between skepticism and new opportunities

Although social networks are multiplying their initiatives to fight against online misinformation, media professionals remain skeptical. Nearly 95% of those questioned in the "Medill Media Industry Survey" blame these platforms for spreading inaccurate information. A phenomenon that has a negative impact on journalism for most respondents (79.3%). "A clear majority of journalists are seeing the potential gains are not matching the realities," Professor Stephanie Edgerly, who oversaw the report, told Local News Initiative. "The survey suggests that we're not seeing quality information reaching a broader audience. That is not the reality of how social media functions."

However, more and more journalists are using social networks as part of their professional activity. The covid-19 pandemic also reinforced the utility of these platforms when it comes to covering the news, especially when travel was limited by the pandemic's various restrictions. Some media professionals are also using social networks to break away from traditional newsrooms and offer informative content directly to a new audience. This is the case of Léa Taïeb, who regularly publishes short video profiles of women who make the news on TikTok. The format has proved popular with more than 24,000 internet users who follow her on the application. Proof that journalism and social networks are becoming more and more complementary, despite some friction.