Breaking News Paths: No Single Source Dominates How Americans Find Updates

When Americans want to learn more about breaking news, they turn to news organizations, search engines, social media and one another. As Pew Research Center finds, people now receive breaking news from a fragmented variety of sources.

When news breaks, 36% of U.S. adults typically turn first to their preferred news organization to learn more, a 2025 Pew survey found. Another 28% use search engines such as Google or Bing to find breaking news reports, while 19% look to social media first. 

Last year, Pew added three new options that survey respondents can choose to describe where they find breaking news: AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini, “Some other source,” and “I don’t look for more information.” Just 1% said they go first to AI chatbots for breaking news, while 5% consult friends or family and the same percentage doesn’t seek more information.

Few Americans use AI chatbots for news in general, but those who use search engines to find breaking news might see AI-generated summaries.

Americans 65 and older are about four times more likely than those 18–29 to say they turn to their preferred news organization for breaking news (59% versus 14%). Younger adults are more likely to use search engines and social media to find breaking news. 

Some 31% of respondents under 30 turn to social media first to learn more about breaking news, while just 6% of Americans 65 and older say the same. Adults 18–29 are equally as likely to trust information they receive from social media as from national news organizations, the research found.