Understanding the impact of news on children’s wellbeing
Social media is reshaping how children and young people consume news, presenting both opportunities and challenges.
This report explores how children navigate the online news landscape and highlights the importance of media literacy for navigating these spaces.
What’s on the page
Key report findings
These findings are based on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK children aged 11-17 and focus groups with children aged 13-17.
- 68% of children and young people who consume news get that news from social media.
- Most trusted accounts on social media include news outlets (55%) and friends or family (51%).
- Many young people report getting news-related content recommended to them via social media algorithms rather than following the content themselves.
- Children in higher income households consume news more frequently than children in lower income households.. They are also more likely to access news from a wider range of sources.
- 61% children who consume news on social media say they’ve seen a story that worried or upset them in the past month. Algorithms can exacerbate this.
- 47% of children and young people say that seeing news content on social media gives them new problems to think about. Many also feel overwhelmed by this content.
- 27% of children say they’ve believed a fake or AI-generated news story. This can leave children feeling embarrassed, confused or less trusting in the news.
- Vulnerable children report greater feelings of worry and are more likely to fall for fake or AI-generated content.
- 74% of young people agree that social media helps them feel informed about current events and 67% agree that social media is usually where they learn about breaking news.
- 52% of children and young people turn to a trusted adult when they see distressing news content on social media.
- Children and young people also turn to social media platforms to verify whether news content is true, including looking at an established news outlet’s social media account, checking if the account that posted the content is verified and checking comments on the post.
- Some children do nothing on platforms when they encounter upsetting or distressing content, or fake or AI-generated news.
- 84% of children and young people who consume news have spoken to their parents about how to tell whether online news is true.
- Children and young people in higher income households are more likely than those in lower income households to report their school or teacher has spoken to them about how to tell whether online news is true.
- Nearly half (48%) of children think social media companies should take proactive steps to remove fake news, while 40% say AI-generated content should be clearly flagged or labelled.
- 45% of young people believe trusted news outlets should create content specifically for them.
Our recommendations
To support children’s digital wellbeing, social media companies, news outlets and Government all have a role to play.
Social media
Social media companies must support children and young people’s media literacy by embedding it into platform design, including features to actively help children evaluate, question and contextualise the information they see.
They must also make their platforms safe-by-design, including through building in features that proactively reduce risks and create a healthier information environment.
News outlets
Established news outlets should provide accurate and age-appropriate content on the platforms where children and young people access news, as well as providing support to schools and families to develop their media literacy skills.
Government
Government must mandate robust age assurance on all platforms to ensure children are receiving an age-appropriate experience.
It must also support schools to deliver media literacy education to every child at all key stages. This includes supporting teachers with the resources, confidence and knowledge to teach media literacy effectively.
Government should appoint the Technology Secretary of State as responsible for coordinating a cross-government strategy for media literacy. This should include an awareness campaign to support parents and children to critically assess the information they see online, building their knowledge and skills.
Informed or Overwhelmed?
Read the full report to explore more findings and recommendations to better support children’s media literacy.
Supporting resources
Fake news, facts and questions guide
Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World 2025
A Vision for Media Literacy
Internet Matters Pulse
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