According to the results of a global survey held in 2023, consumers in countries with a lower HDI were the most likely to rely on social media feeds to get their news, with 68 percent saying that they primarily got news from social networks. They were also the least likely consumers to use radio, television, or media websites and apps as their main news source. By contrast, countries with very high HDIs mostly got news via TV, and radio remained a relatively popular option with over 20 percent using the medium as their primary news source.
Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI
(Human Development Index)
HDI is a summary measure of average achievement in key areas of human development, i.e. a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and having a decent standard of living; HDI is the geometric mean of normalized indices for each of these three areas
Method of interview
Online interview
Supplementary notes
*Sample size per country was 500.
Countries with a very high HDI included Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Romania, and the United States.
Countries with a high HDI included Algeria, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, Dominican Republic, and Indonesia.
Countries with a medium or low HDI included Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ghana, India, and Senegal.
Participating countries included those where there was publicly available information about a foreseen national election in 2024 as of August 2023.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
UNESCO. (November 27, 2023). Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI (Human Development Index) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/
UNESCO. "Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI (Human Development Index)." Chart. November 27, 2023. Statista. Accessed November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/
UNESCO. (2023). Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI (Human Development Index). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/
UNESCO. "Main Sources Used for News and Information among Internet Users Worldwide as of September 2023, by Hdi (Human Development Index)." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 Nov 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/
UNESCO, Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI (Human Development Index) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/ (last visited November 22, 2024)
Main sources used for news and information among internet users worldwide as of September 2023, by HDI (Human Development Index) [Graph], UNESCO, November 27, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1461809/news-access-worldwide-by-hdi/
