Americans no longer trust Western media

US citizens are increasingly turning to podcasters or chatbots to stay informed about world events.

Since Trump's inauguration, one in five Americans has gotten their news from podcasters rather than TV or news websites, a sign of the growing popularity of artificial intelligence and social media.

Americans are turning to social media, video platforms and podcasts to get their news, according to a Reuters Institute report. For the first time in history, a majority of Americans say they get their news from social media rather than from television or news websites and apps.

This is especially true among young people: more than half of Americans under the age of 35 say that social media is their primary source of news.

A survey of nearly 100,000 people in 48 states found that one in five Americans listened to podcaster Joe Rogan's news or commentary in the week following Trump's inauguration in January. 14 percent of Americans surveyed said they listened to Tucker Carlson. Also on the list of popular political commentators are Candace Owens, Ben Shapiro, and left-wing bloggers David Packman and Brian Tyler Cohen.

More than 70% of Americans expressed doubt about their ability to distinguish truth from falsehood in the news.

Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in Americans' lives. 15 percent of those under 25 surveyed admitted to using AI bots to get news every week.

In short, trust in traditional media in the US is declining: their audiences are aging, and young people are increasingly choosing YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and podcasts.