Filipinos are increasingly turning to social media, video platforms, and algorithm-driven feeds for news, a shift that has eroded trust in traditional outlets.
In a recent community discussion, a co‑founder of a digital news organization and a university lecturer highlighted that only 28 percent of respondents trust most news most of the time—down ten percentage points from the previous year.
The decline mirrors a worldwide trend, with trust in news falling to 37 percent across 48 markets, the lowest level recorded since 2015. Twenty‑nine of those markets experienced a drop, and nineteen saw reductions of at least five points.
Experts describe this pattern as “platform‑led news consumption” or the “platformization of news,” where audiences rely on third‑party sites rather than traditional news websites and apps.
For the first time ever, social media and video networks have become the leading sources of news globally. Seventy‑seven percent of respondents watch online news videos weekly, and 27 percent consume on‑demand news through applications on smart televisions.
Filipino audiences adopted these habits earlier than many other countries, discovering stories on social media and video networks instead of controlled news sites.
The shift has weakened overall trust, as social media, video platforms, and artificial intelligence tools are traditionally less trusted than conventional outlets.
In the Philippines, reliance on platform‑based news has grown while television news use has declined, underscoring television’s continued importance.
Smart television adoption has surged, presenting new opportunities and challenges for news organizations seeking to reach viewers.
Globally, growth in online news consumption occurs almost entirely on third‑party platforms, with video networks such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok expanding their reach while mainstream news sites see a five‑point decline in video consumption.
Trust in artificial‑intelligence chatbots stands at 20 percent, with weekly usage at 10 percent overall and 16 percent among people under 35, illustrating the convenience factor that draws audiences.
Concern over misinformation remains high, with 66 percent of Filipinos worried about false or misleading content online.
Interest in news has fallen sharply: in the Philippines, it dropped to 43 percent from 69 percent, while globally the average interest among highly engaged readers fell by 13 points, and casual or passive users rose to 25 percent.
The largest group of concern consists of those who have lost both trust and interest in news, a trend that threatens informed civic engagement.
Additionally, 13 percent of respondents report finding news difficult to follow or understand, suggesting a need for clearer storytelling.
Despite the overall decline, established news brands maintain more resilience in trust, indicating that credibility can be preserved if organizations remain relevant and accessible, especially to poorer and less‑educated audiences.
