Instagram gains popularity as source of news on social media platforms

Instagram is expected to surpass Twitter as a source of general news on social media platforms as its use has doubled since 2018, says Oxford University’s Reuters Institute in its “Digital News Report 2020.”

As per the report, Instagram reaches 11 percent of respondents across all age groups, almost as many as those who use Twitter for news.

As people spend more time with the network, the role of news has also increased significantly … [a] big change in the last few years has been the growth of Instagram which popularized visual formats like stories and short videos via IGTV,” the report states.

Also, along with Instagram, Snapchat has gained popularity, especially among younger age groups during the pandemic because of celebrities and influencers present on the platform. They play an “outsized role, with some sharing music, running exercise classes as well as commenting on the wider health issues”, the report said.

However, the report also found that the pandemic has reminded people of the importance of traditional media. “Traditional local news sources still lead overall … with 71 percent people relying on offline and online services offered by traditional local news media,” as per the report.