It’s an undebatable fact that the six o’clock evening news isn’t what it used to be. That’s not necessarily a knock on the quality of local or national broadcasts, but more of a commentary on how much the internet has changed the way we consume the news every day.

The advent of the internet had an immediate effect, but it’s been the explosion of social media that has really turned journalism on its head. We can debate the merits of “Twitter journalists” until we’re blue in the face but the fact remains: stories that break on Twitter, Facebook, and even YouTube are becoming more prevalent with every passing day.

The raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, Whitney Houston’s death, the Hudon river plane crash and the heroics of Sully – these are just some of the examples given in this infographic from schools.com. According to the graphic, 46% of people get their news online at least three times a week and over half of people say they’ve heard about breaking news on social media.

Okay, they do get into the “accuracy” debate a little bit by going into some pros and cons of social media news. Of course, the best thing about social media (especially Twitter) is that it’s lightning fast. Someone sees something happen and BAM! You have breaking news in a few thumb movements.

Of course, the biggest drawback is inaccuracy, which can be highly problematic. Who can you trust on Twitter? One tip I’ve learned: if someone is reporting that your favorite musician has died (especially in a freak accident), wait until you hear multiple confirmations before you light your candles and set up your shrine.

Check out the full infographic on social media as a news source below:

Courtesy of: Schools.com