Social media isn’t just for memes and selfies anymore.

A new Pew Research Center report shows that social media influencers are becoming a major force in how Americans consume news. These “news influencers” — people with big followings who regularly post about current events and civic issues — are reshaping how information is shared and understood.

About 21% of U.S. adults say they regularly get news from influencers on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

Among younger adults, the numbers are even higher — 37% of those aged 18 to 29 rely on influencers for news. In contrast, 7% of those 65 and older do the same.

The study also found racial and economic differences. Hispanic (30%), Asian (29%), and Black adults (27%) are much more likely to follow news influencers than White adults (17%).

People with lower incomes (26%) are more likely to turn to influencers than higher earners (16%).

X is the top platform for news influencers, with 85% of them active there. Instagram (50%) and YouTube (44%) are popular spots, while TikTok draws 27%, particularly among younger users.

Many influencers juggle multiple platforms: 27% are on five or more, while 34% focus on just one, usually X.

Different platforms have their own flavours. TikTok influencers often highlight LGBTQ+ and social issues, while YouTube posts are heavily skewed toward U.S. politics, with 68% of posts focused on elections and government.

Politics dominate influencer content. Of the posts analyzed, 43% covered current events or civic issues, with 55% focused on U.S. politics.

Social issues like LGBTQ+ rights made up 18%, while international topics such as the Israel-Hamas war accounted for 14%.

TikTok stands out for having a more balanced political mix. About 28% of TikTok influencers lean left, while 25% lean right. On Facebook, it’s a different story: right-leaning influencers outnumber left-leaning ones three to one.

The influencer space is overwhelmingly male. Men make up 63% of news influencers, while women account for 30%. TikTok bucks this trend slightly, with a more balanced gender split: 50% male and 45% female.

Politically, influencers are split. Around 52% express a clear political stance. Of these, 27% lean right and 21% lean left. The remaining 48% avoid taking sides.

Facebook skews conservative, with 39% of its influencers leaning right compared to just 13% leaning left.

Most influencers (59%) monetize their platforms through subscriptions, donations, or selling merchandise. Those without ties to traditional media are especially likely to seek donations (34%), compared to just 15% of influencers with newsroom backgrounds.

Interestingly, 77% of influencers have no formal ties to news organizations. These independent voices are often more open about personal values, like LGBTQ+ support or pro-Palestinian stances, compared to their counterparts with traditional journalism backgrounds.

People seem to value what influencers bring to the table. About 65% of Americans who follow news influencers say they help them better understand current events.

Meanwhile, 70% say the news they get from influencers is different from traditional sources, with 23% calling it “extremely different.”

That said, the relationship is often impersonal. Only 31% of followers feel a personal connection to the influencers they follow, suggesting that most people are there for the content, not the personalities.