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Future usage of online news
Q. If the legislation is introduced and news content was removed from Facebook and Google, how likely would you do the following to search and read news articles?
TOTAL: Likely | TOTAL: Unlikely | Very likely | Quite likely | Not that likely | Not at all likely | |
Go directly to news websites to read content | 75% | 25% | 37% | 38% | 15% | 10% |
Continue to use Google and Facebook and read less news | 69% | 31% | 26% | 43% | 19% | 12% |
Use alternative platforms to Facebook and Google to find and read news articles (such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Reddit) | 53% | 47% | 22% | 31% | 24% | 22% |
Use the Apple News aggregator | 37% | 63% | 14% | 22% | 27% | 36% |
Total | Age Group | Frequency of news consumption on social media | ||||||
TOTAL: LIKELY | 18-34 | 35-54 | 55+ | At least daily | At least once a week | Less than once a week | Never | |
Go directly to news websites to read content | 75% | 70% | 81% | 73% | 84% | 77% | 62% | 46% |
Continue to use Google and Facebook and read less news | 69% | 67% | 76% | 63% | 77% | 72% | 60% | 39% |
Use alternative platforms to Facebook and Google to find and read news articles (such as Twitter, LinkedIn or Reddit) | 53% | 61% | 64% | 37% | 64% | 50% | 42% | 25% |
Use the Apple News aggregator | 37% | 42% | 49% | 20% | 42% | 42% | 29% | 11% |
Base (n) | 1,076 | 326 | 365 | 385 | 570 | 239 | 149 | 118 |
- The majority of people would use alternative sources such as direct content (75%), other social media platforms (53%) or Apple news (37%) if social media platforms stopped offering free news contents as part of their service.
- However, 77% of daily Facebook and Google users said they are likely to continue to use the platforms, but read less news.

COVID-19 RESEARCH
Read Essential's ongoing research on the public response to Covid-19.
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Two Party Preferred:
Labor
45%
Coalition
48%
In this week's report:
- Performance of Scott Morrison
- Performance of Anthony Albanese
- Preferred Prime Minister
- Top Federal Government priorities for 2021
- Uptake of a Covid-19 vaccine
- Perceptions of change in the standard of living for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- Changing views towards Australia Day
- Support towards a separate national day
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