Social Media Is Saying No To News

Social media and news have always had a close relationship, with platforms featuring a mix of both self-proclaimed reporters and trusted sources. In terms of quantity, these platforms used to be inundated with various news, but this scenario is evolving.

In this ongoing trend, more platforms are distancing themselves from news. This shift began with Campbell Brown’s departure, ending her long-term association with Facebook.

Then there’s Twitter, or what they now refer to as X. The platform has eliminated the concept of headlines for “aesthetic” reasons but is following the trend. X’s unfiltered nature allows users to be natural, but sometimes it crosses the line – a move that’s not well-received by major social media platforms.

What about X’s biggest competitor? From the start, they made it clear that they wouldn’t amplify news on their platform.

Even Google seems less interested in news articles, contradicting its image as a news source. Many prominent news portals are already seeing reduced traffic from Google, and recent layoffs reinforce this trend.

Some top executives, like Adam Mosseri from Instagram, have voiced concerns about hosting news on their platforms, citing the polarized debates it generates. On the other hand, figures like Elon Musk express their dislike for traditional media.

Publishers have come to terms with the fact that the website traffic they used to receive from major tech companies may never return to previous levels.

As of September 2020, major news websites received around 11.5 percent of their online visitors from social networks in the United States, according to Similarweb, a data and analytics company. However, by September of this year, that figure had dropped to 6.5 percent, signifying a significant decline in website traffic from social platforms.

Additionally, regarding the use of AI, all the big tech giants are increasingly adopting it. As a dedicated reader, you wouldn’t want to read something entirely generated by AI. More grammar and less opinion – this isn’t something readers are pushing for, and the recent social media trend is moving in that direction.