Trust in News Remains Stable in Germany – Despite Growing Role of Social Media

Social Media Dominates Among the Youngest

Sascha Hölig, co-author of the report and staff member of the Hamburg-based Leibniz Institute for Media Research Hans-Bredow-Institut, expressed surprise at this development. „Tatsächlich waren wir auch ein bisschen überrascht über den teilweise doch großen Ansprung der Anteile der Bevölkerung, die soziale Medien als Quelle für Nachrichten nutzen und auch als ihre Hauptquelle bezeichnen“, he said. At the same time, however, he sees no cause for concern: „Die Nutzenden sind angestiegen, aber nicht diejenigen, die sich nur auf soziale Medien als Nachrichtenquelle verlassen.“

The report distinguishes between different digital pathways to news. While search engines still rank ahead of social media with 24 percent trust among adult online users, AI chatbots enjoy significantly less trust as a news source, at 13 percent. Only 5 percent of respondents said they had used a chatbot to inform themselves about the news in the past week.

Chatbots Still a Niche Phenomenon

Hölig nonetheless sees potential in chatbots, for example because users can ask follow-up questions or have topics summarized individually. „Chatbots bieten durchaus Vorteile. Die Nutzenden können Nachfragen stellen oder sich Themen nach ihren Bedürfnissen zusammenfassen lassen“, he explained. However, the researchers do not currently see a fundamental shift in news consumption through chatbots: „In Bezug auf Nachrichten sehen wir diesen Wandel im Moment zumindest noch nicht.“

Hölig also commented in a nuanced way on news influencers – internet-famous individuals who deal with news on social media or in podcasts. They often present content in a more entertaining and easier-to-understand way, but could not replace credible, neutral reporting. „Newsfluencer übernehmen in meinen Augen eine andere Funktion als klassische Nachrichtenformate. Sie sind oft etwas unterhaltsamer aufbereitet und leichter verständlich“, he said.

Trust in Established Media Remains

His co-author Julia Behre emphasized that many people use social media primarily for entertainment and to maintain contacts. „Die Menschen nutzten die Plattformen, ‚um sich zu unterhalten oder mit Freunden und Familie in Kontakt zu bleiben‘“, the Deutsche Presse-Agentur quoted Behre as saying. Attention for news content on these platforms then primarily benefits the offerings of traditional media.

Hölig therefore does not see classic journalism in danger. „Man weiß, was man dort bekommt“, he said with a view to established media. In Germany, many people continue to expect reporting that is as neutral as possible. „Gerade in Deutschland erwarten viele Menschen von Nachrichten weiterhin eine möglichst neutrale Berichterstattung.“ He also does not want to prophesy a decline of traditional media: „Von daher würde ich da jetzt nicht den Untergang prophezeien wollen.“

The Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 is the 14th edition of the study. According to the Hans-Bredow-Institut, around 2,000 people were surveyed for the German sub-study. In total, almost 100,000 responses from 48 countries on six continents were included.

Data Basis of the Report

Overall, the study paints a picture of a media market in transition, in which digital channels continue to gain importance, but trust in journalism has not so far eroded. Whether this stability will hold is likely to depend on how the use of AI-supported news sources and news influencers develops in the coming years.