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More than two thirds of Germans avoid news – why?
On June 17, 2025, the Reuters Institute in Hamburg will publish results on news avoidance and media use in Germany.
More than two thirds of Germans avoid news – why?
A current study is causing a stir in Germany: The “Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025” shows that 71% of Internet users actively avoid news. This means that last year's figure of 69% has increased again. Prominent reasons for this trend are the negative effects on mood, which 48% of those surveyed stated. Some also feel exhausted by the abundance of coverage of conflicts and wars. According to the report, 39% of news avoiders feel stressed in this context, which researcher Julia Behre describes as selective news avoidance, which does not mean not consuming news at all.
What is interesting is that older people, especially those aged 55 and over, are more likely to comment that the coverage of wars is too much. Among younger people, ages 18 to 24, 43% say they feel exhausted by the flood of news, while 19% feel the information is irrelevant to them. Despite this avoidance of news, interest remains stable: 55% of adults in Germany are still very interested in news, and 91% consume news several times a week, such as Radio lip reports.
Trust in news remains stable
Another positive aspect is the trust levels in news sources. 45% of the adult online population trusts the majority of reporting, demonstrating a stability in trust that is particularly reflected in public news as well as local and regional newspapers. It is striking that over 50% of those surveyed find human-generated news to be more trustworthy than those generated by artificial intelligence Leibniz HBI notes.
Social media is one of the most common sources of news. 66% of adult users consume it at least once a week. Social networks such as YouTube and Instagram achieve high usage rates, particularly among 18 to 24 year olds. A challenge to the credibility of these platforms is that 57% of respondents see TikTok and 53% see X (formerly Twitter) as dangerous for spreading false news.
News avoidance as a protective strategy
Another point highlighted in the report is news avoidance as a protective mechanism. This avoidance can certainly be accompanied by positive effects, such as greater civic engagement. It follows that news avoidance should not be viewed as disinterest, but rather as a form of self-protection against psychological stress, such as ARD Media explained.
In summary, a multifaceted picture of news avoidance in Germany emerges. While many people are actively turning away from negative reporting, trust in reliable news sources remains stable. At the same time, new demands are being made on the media landscape, which must respond to the needs and preferences of today's users. After intensive reporting on conflicts, pandemics and other crises, it seems as if the population is looking for a new approach to news - one that better contributes to their own mental health.