In 2025, half of UK adults (51%) and three quarters of 16-24-year-olds (75%) use social media to get their news. What does this mean for the future of journalism? I spoke to 16 to 28-year-olds based in and around London about how they get their news, what sources they trust, and what bias in the media means to them.
Alleke is an 18-year-old who recently moved to London from Surrey to study Computer Science. “I get most of my news from the Apple News app, and the BBC, or on my TikTok ‘for you’ page.”
Ofcom reported that in 2025, 11% of UK adults referred to TikTok as the platform they use the most for news. For context, 30% referred to Facebook, 18% to Instagram 18% to YouTube, 12% to WhatsApp and 14% to X.
How do these online spaces and digital algorithms impact real-life relationships? Alleke explains, “I think a lot of young people learn about politics from who they surround themselves with, so maybe their parents or friends as a way of fitting in or connecting.” Enya, who is also 18, gets her news from “TikTok and from friends. My friends are very opinionated, so they care a lot about politics.”
“I think a lot of young people learn
about politics as a way of fitting in or
connecting”
Jess is a 28-year-old data analyst based in South London. She shares, “I make sure to surround myself with people who care about politics and have the same beliefs and values as me”. On bias in the media, Jess believes “it can be dangerous propaganda, especially when it comes from right-leaning news outlets.”
The Oxford Dictionary of Media and Communications defines bias as “the conscious or unconscious representation of a phenomenon that favours one particular point of view.”
A 2021 research article on social media algorithms and news defines echo chambers as “environments where the opinion, political learning, or belief about a topic is reinforced due to repeated interactions with peers and sources of similar attitudes.”
Jed is a 16-year-old A-Level Politics student from Bracknell. “I think that most young people exclusively learn about politics online, but they can also be misguided by extremist views.”
“I look at multiple sources, each outlet
spins news differently because of who
they are funded by and what they stand
for”
Jed is a member of the Green Party and is looking forward to voting in the next UK General Election. “I get most of my news from independent people on social media platforms, and from Googling.”
However, Jed does not trust traditional news sources and believes that “news companies present views that help their billionaire owners and friends get more money, rather than informing the people of truth.”
Rose, a 23-year-old from Cyprus living in London, who “looks at the BBC, Channel 4, and ITV news on TikTok” because she “doesn’t have a TV license”.
Similarly to Jed, she struggles to “trust news sources” as she believes “they are being controlled”. Rose explains her thoughts, “I always look at multiple sources as proof. Each outlet spins news differently because of who they benefit, who they are funded by, and what they stand for. Each new source is its own brand.”
Million is 24 and has grown up in Camden. He gets his news on Instagram, X and TikTok. Million also feels disillusioned with news reportage. “Sometimes I watch ITV news, but I think news channels are very biased, and use information to paint a certain picture, so I like to see all sides”.
A 2025 report by the Media Reform Coalition at Goldsmiths University states that “three companies- DMG Media, News UK, and Reach- control 90% of UK national newspaper circulation”. While “7 out of 15 of the top online platforms used to access news in the UK are controlled by Meta, Google and X Corp.”
James, who is 24, thinks that “most young people find their political leaning on social media”. James is concerned about language bias in the media, which is when specific words are used to reinforce stereotypes about a topic or social group.
James also brings up “coverage disparity” as an issue with bias in the media. This is when certain news stories are given an uneven amount of coverage compared to other stories.
Sebastian, 25, uses “online traditional news sources and radio programmes” for his news. For him, bias in the media means “emotive or aggressive language intended to lead the reader or viewer to a conclusion, and not representing any opposing argument.”
Angelica is a 26-year-old who lives in East London who gets most of her news via “word of mouth and the New York Times newsletter”. Her interpretation of bias in the media is “when a platform has a political agenda, so they pick and choose what they report on and how to push that”.
Social media is a vital way of getting news today, and it is important that we have access to quality, fact-checked journalism on these platforms. It is clear from the young people I spoke to that they are politically engaged, and ready to question the media - particularly on bias.
Written by Cody O’Connor