Twitter logo (L), Facebook logo (R) (Photo : Reuters)
The Pew Research Center announced today that more netizens are using Facebook and Twitter as a news source, which has become apparent as both social media giants have tried to become destinations of breaking stories and hot topics. The study indicates that the current users are finding news stories on the social networks, rather than the latest figures being due to a growth in their user bases.
Pew learned that 63 percent of Facebook and Twitter users said that they use the websites to get information about news and current events. Both tech companies have been focusing more on news.
Twitter's "Project Lighting" will provide breaking news and live coverage to people with or without Twitter accounts. Meanwhile, Facebook launched Instant Articles in May, which allows news organizations to publish on the site.
Ironically, the Pew study also revealed that most Twitter and Facebook users do not perceive social media as a necessary source of news, according to Wired. A great majority of users says that both sites are not a significant way to get news.
The Pew study could be a wake-up call for traditional news companies. It stresses the need to add social media tot their daily publications.
Interestingly, all demographics, not just millennials, are getting their news through social networking. More men and women are using Facebook more, according to The Verge. Meanwhile, Twitter is adding more users under and over 35 years old.
It should be noted that most social medial users still consider the sites to be secondary sources. In addition, younger users are still using social media sites more frequently as news sources.
