40% of people deliberately avoid news
According to a 2025 report by the Reuters Institute, 40% of the world’s population periodically or systematically avoids consuming news. The main reasons for this behavior include a decline in mood, feelings of overload, and a sense of powerlessness in the face of the events being reported. From a cognitive psychology perspective, this reaction is not a manifestation of apathy or a decrease in civic engagement. Instead, it is a natural response of the nervous system to the mismatch between the current information flow and human biological characteristics.
The evolutionary development of the human brain occurred in conditions where survival depended on the ability to instantly detect potential threats. In cognitive science, this phenomenon is known as negative bias: the brain pays more attention to negative information, processes it faster, and stores it in memory for longer than positive information. From a historical perspective, this was an adaptive mechanism, but today, the scale of information being processed has changed. While the nervous system previously dealt with local threats, modern conditions require the assessment of global risks, including economic shocks, climate disasters, and conflicts. Research shows that the human body exhibits a pronounced physiological response to negative headlines even before consciously processing their significance.
Researchers have identified the concept of problematic news consumption, characterized by increased attention, disorganization of mental processes, and disruption of daily functioning. According to a 2022 study, approximately 17% of the US adult population exhibited signs of this condition, which was correlated with a high level of subjective feelings of ill health. This has a particular impact on vulnerable groups, as constant exposure to the damage caused to their social groups creates a high level of cognitive stress.
However, completely avoiding news is not an effective solution, as it limits access to reliable information. Experts suggest strategies to reduce stress levels without compromising awareness. Limiting news consumption to specific time slots can help reduce feelings of overload. Additionally, replacing random social media posts with high-quality analytical content can provide a better understanding of the context of events. Finding opportunities for real action within the framework of the issues discussed helps to reduce feelings of powerlessness, which is one of the main predictors of psychological distress. Additionally, recognizing publications that aim to elicit emotional responses contributes to creating the necessary distance between the consumer and the information.
Thus, adapting to current conditions is possible through a shift towards more conscious and disciplined engagement with information sources.
Published
May, 2026
Category
Interesting facts
Duration of reading
2-3 min
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Source
Scientific journal The Conversation. Article: Why 40% of people are avoiding the news, according to a psychologist
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