Traditional media more trustworthy for science news, poll suggests

Some 29% of those surveyed said they typically get information about science from national newspapers, either in print, online or via an app (PA) (PA Archive)

British adults are more likely to trust traditional media over social media when it comes to science news, a new poll suggests.

And the public are more likely to get science news updates from traditional news outlets compared with social media, the survey found.

The poll, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Science Media Centre (SMC), found that almost three quarters (73%) of people typically get information about science from news media, including TV news, news media outlets accessed online or via an app, newspapers, and radio news and current affairs programmes.

This compares with just 30% who said they typically get science information from social media.

Around half of people who encounter science information on social media – including sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X – say that the source is usually a traditional media outlet.

The survey, released to mark the 20th anniversary of the SMC – a trusted source of information for science, environment and health journalists in the UK, found some 52% of adults got their information about science from TV news with a third (34%) saying it came from an online news outlet such as BBC News, Sky News or others.

Some 29% of those surveyed said they typically get information about science from national newspapers, either in print, online or via an app.

Our survey shows that for half of those encountering information about science on social media, the posts are from traditional news media outlets like BBC News, the Daily Mail and the Guardian

Fiona Lethbridge, SMC

Meanwhile, some 55% said they trusted information about science from the traditional news media, compared with only 19% who trusted it from social media, according to the poll of 2,337 people aged 16 and over.

“We had assumed that younger people might have migrated away from traditional news media to social media and that they would therefore be getting information about science mainly from friends and family, influencers or politicians,” said Fiona Lethbridge, senior press manager at the SMC.

“Instead, our survey shows that for half of those encountering information about science on social media, the posts are from traditional news media outlets like BBC News, the Daily Mail and the Guardian.”

Fiona Fox, chief executive of the SMC, added: “These findings should reassure those of us who worry that younger people have abandoned the news and are getting their information about science only from sources that don’t feel the same need to check facts or report accurately.

“It suggests that many people are coming across information from news media even if via different platforms.”