Where do Americans turn first for information about breaking news?

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. A smaller share (5%) usually asks friends, family or acquaintances for more information. In a similar question from 2018, a slim majority of Americans (54%) said they turned to their preferred news organization when they wanted to learn more about a breaking news event. The shares of U.S. adults who said they turned first to search engines (15%) and social media (9%) were both lower than they are today. Similar shares in both survey years said they turn to people in their lives.