Social Media/ CourtesyA growing number of Kenyans are now turning to social media
as their main source of news, reflecting a wider global shift in how audiences
access information, a new digital report shows.
Findings from the DataReportal Digital 2026 Mid-Year Global
Update Report indicate that 30.1 per cent of internet users globally now rely
on social media as their primary source of news, underscoring the rising
influence of digital platforms over traditional outlets such as television,
radio and newspapers.
The global figures are mirrored by patterns emerging
locally. Kenya’s digital space has expanded rapidly in recent years, with
millions of users now accessing information through mobile devices.
According
to DataReportal’s Kenya update, the country has more than 26 million internet
users, with a significant share active on social media platforms.
This
widespread access has created an environment where news is increasingly
consumed online rather than through scheduled broadcasts or print editions.
The shift becomes clearer when compared with traditional
media. Data from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism shows that
in several countries, including the United States, 54 per cent of audiences now
get news via social media compared to about 50 per cent who rely on television.
A decade ago, television dominated, with well over 70 per cent of audiences
depending on it as their main source of news. The balance has steadily tilted
as digital platforms gained ground.
“Social media platforms are central to communication and
information access,” the DataReportal report notes, pointing to their growing
role beyond social interaction.
In Kenya’s fast-paced digital environment, news now often
appears first on social media before reaching traditional platforms.
From road
accidents and political developments to weather alerts and public
announcements, updates are shared in real time through posts, short videos and
live streams.
Digital-first pages and independent creators have built
strong followings by delivering quick updates in formats that are easy to
consume.
Some Kenyan online pages focused on current affairs and trending news
have amassed hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of followers
across platforms, with engagement driven by frequent updates, short clips and
simplified storytelling.
Their appeal lies partly in style. Much of the content
blends information with entertainment, making it more relatable and easier to
digest, particularly for younger audiences.
Stories are often presented in a
conversational tone, sometimes with humour or dramatic framing, which increases
shareability and interaction.
The reach of such content is amplified by growing internet
access. The DataReportal global update shows that 6.12 billion people are now
online, representing 73.8 per cent of the world’s population. With such scale,
social media platforms have become one of the fastest ways to distribute
information.
This connectivity explains the speed advantage. A single
post can reach thousands or even millions of users within minutes through
shares and reposts, far outpacing traditional broadcast cycles and print
distribution.
The report shows that users are spending more time within
these platforms, making them natural spaces for news consumption. Globally,
people spend an average of more than two hours daily on social media,
increasing the likelihood of encountering news while scrolling.
“News discovery is increasingly happening on social feeds,”
the report notes, highlighting the role of algorithms in curating content for
users.
This shift means audiences no longer need to actively search
for news. Instead, news is delivered alongside entertainment and social
updates, creating a continuous flow of information.
Globally, the trend is already pronounced. The Reuters
Institute reports that more than half of audiences in some markets now access
news via social platforms, marking a significant departure from earlier years
when television and radio dominated.
The shift is being driven largely by younger audiences, who
have grown up with digital technology. Many are introduced to smartphones and
internet access at an early age, shaping their habits from the start. For this
generation, social media is not an alternative to traditional media but the
default.
A decade ago, access to news was often tied to scheduled
programming. Audiences would tune in at specific times to watch bulletins,
often staying on the same channels for entertainment programmes that followed.
Today, the same content, from news clips to full programmes, is readily
available on social platforms, often reshared multiple times and accessible on
demand.
Globally, users aged between 18 and 24 are among the most
active online, spending the most time on social media and driving trends in
digital consumption. Their high engagement increases exposure to news content
shared on these platforms.
Video has become a key format in this transition. Short
clips, live updates and visual storytelling dominate engagement, particularly
on mobile devices.
These formats allow users to consume information quickly and
move on, fitting into fast-paced digital habits.
At the same time, social media has changed how people
interact with news. Unlike traditional platforms, where audiences largely
consume information passively, social media enables users to comment, share and
react instantly.
However, the shift has also introduced challenges, the rise
of citizen-generated content means that not all information circulating online
is verified.
In many cases, content is published quickly to attract views and
engagement, sometimes at the expense of accuracy.
This has raised concerns about misinformation, especially
during breaking news events when unverified reports can spread widely before
being corrected.
Despite these concerns, the growth of social media as a news
source continues to accelerate.
DataReportal shows that the number of social
media users has increased from about 2.07 billion in 2015 to approximately 5.79
billion in 2026, reflecting rapid global expansion.
This growth has strengthened the role of platforms as major
channels for information distribution.
For Kenyan media houses, the shift presents both challenges
and opportunities, while they face competition from digital-first creators,
social media also offers a powerful channel to reach wider audiences and
distribute content more quickly.
As internet access continues to expand across Kenya,
including in rural areas, the influence of social media on how people access
and engage with news is expected to grow further.
The shift from traditional platforms to digital spaces is
gradual but unmistakable. Social media has moved beyond social interaction to
become a central pillar of news consumption, both globally and within Kenya.
