Christopher St. Aubin

Most Americans see freedom of the press – protected by the First Amendment to the U.S.

When Americans look to learn more about a breaking news event, they turn to a variety of sources. This mirrors the fragmented way that people get news and information more broadly these days. When a breaking news event happens, 36% of U.S. adults say they typically turn first to their preferred news organization to get more information. Another 28% look to search engines like Google or Bing, and 19% make social media their first destination.

Americans today describe a complicated relationship with the news.

In recent years, several new options have emerged in the social media universe, many of which explicitly present themselves as alternatives to more established social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube – especially by opposing free speech restrictions they say are rife at those sites. These newer sites have created a small but satisfied community of news consumers, many of whom say one of the major reasons they are there is to stay informed about current events.