Most Americans say social media firms have too much power in politics
Saturday, 7 November 2026 · Social media · Full report · Evidence: Moderate
Pew Research Center, 2026-11-06 | read: full article
What was found
Most American adults think social media companies hold too much sway over politics. In a Pew Research Center survey, 69% said these firms have too much political power and influence, and 55% said the same about U.S. news outlets 1. Very few people thought either group had too little influence: just 6% for social media and 14% for news organizations 1. On social media, Republicans and Democrats largely agree. About 71% of Republicans and those who lean Republican, and 69% of Democrats and those who lean Democratic, say these companies have too much power 1. On news outlets, the parties split sharply. About 69% of Republicans say news organizations have too much political power, compared with 43% of Democrats 1.
Who it applies to
The findings describe the views of the adult population of the United States. They reflect what people across the country believe, not the views of any single group, state, or age range 1.
How strong the evidence is
Strong. The results come from a nationally representative survey of 3,488 U.S. adults conducted through Pew's American Trends Panel, which is built to mirror the country as a whole 1. The full article was read. The study has two main limits. First, it measures what people think and feel, not how much power these companies or outlets actually have. Second, people who skipped particular questions were left out of the results for those questions, which could slightly shift the numbers 1.
What it means in practice
Worry about the political reach of tech platforms crosses party lines. That shared concern could give lawmakers from both parties common ground on issues such as how platforms handle political content, ads, or misinformation. Views of traditional news are more divided. Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to see news organizations as too powerful, so efforts to address the media's role in politics are likely to meet a more partisan reaction 1. For news outlets, the findings point to a trust gap with a large share of the public, especially on the political right. For social media companies, they show broad public unease that goes beyond any one party's concerns.
Original source
- Majority of Americans Say Social Media Companies, News Outlets Have Too Much Power in Politics (Pew Research Center, 2026-11-06)