CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock Class A common stock Previously reported balance	Common Stock Class A common stock	Common Stock Class B Common Stock Previously reported balance	Common Stock Class B Common Stock	Common Stock Class C common stock Previously reported balance	Common Stock Class C common stock	Additional paid-in capital Previously reported balance	Additional paid-in capital	Accumulated deficit Previously reported balance	Accumulated deficit	Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income Previously reported balance	Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income	Parent [Member] Previously reported balance	Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member] Previously reported balance	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Class A common stock	Class B Common Stock	Class C common stock	Previously reported balance	Total
Balance at beginning at Dec. 31, 2020				$ 1				$ 36,373		$ (346,818)		$ (3,359)		$ (313,803)							$ (313,803)
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		1,540		10,439
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation								138						138							138
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options								142						142							142
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options		6		49
Other comprehensive income												(329)		(329)							(329)
Net loss										(11,367)				(11,367)		$ (18)					(11,385)
Issuance of common stock						$ 1		34,999						35,000							35,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)						3,839
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Business Combination								24,064						24,064		2,122					26,186
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Business Combination (in shares)						2,639
Balance at end at Mar. 31, 2021				$ 1		$ 1		95,716		(358,185)		(3,688)		(266,155)		2,104					(264,051)
Balance at end (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021		1,546		10,488		6,478
Balance at beginning at Dec. 31, 2020				$ 1				36,373		(346,818)		(3,359)		(313,803)							(313,803)
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		1,540		10,439
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income																					(224)
Balance at end at Jun. 30, 2021				$ 1		$ 1		96,070		(358,767)		(3,583)		(266,278)		1,302					(264,976)
Balance at end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021		1,555		10,543		6,478
Balance at beginning at Mar. 31, 2021				$ 1		$ 1		95,716		(358,185)		(3,688)		(266,155)		2,104					(264,051)
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021		1,546		10,488		6,478
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation								209						209							209
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options								145						145							145
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options		9		55
Other comprehensive income												105		105							105
Net loss										(582)				(582)		(292)					(874)
Merger of BuzzFeed Japan and HuffPost Japan																(510)					(510)
Balance at end at Jun. 30, 2021				$ 1		$ 1		96,070		(358,767)		(3,583)		(266,278)		1,302					(264,976)
Balance at end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021		1,555		10,543		6,478
Balance at beginning at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 11		$ 1		$ 1		$ 695,869		$ (322,106)		$ (3,233)		$ 370,543		$ 2,044					$ 372,587	372,587
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	116,175		12,397		6,478												116,175	12,397	6,478
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation								3,940						3,940							3,940
Other comprehensive income												(103)		(103)							(103)
Net loss										(44,894)				(44,894)		164					(44,730)
Issuance of common stock in connection with share-based plans		$ 1						358						359							359
Issuance of common stock in connection with share-based plans (in shares)		411
Conversion of Class B common stocks to Class A common stock (in shares)		103		(103)
Balance at end at Mar. 31, 2022		$ 12		$ 1		$ 1		700,167		(367,000)		(3,336)		329,845		2,208					332,053
Balance at end (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022		116,689		12,294		6,478
Balance at beginning at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 11		$ 1		$ 1		$ 695,869		$ (322,106)		$ (3,233)		$ 370,543		$ 2,044					$ 372,587	372,587
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	116,175		12,397		6,478												116,175	12,397	6,478
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income																					402
Balance at end at Jun. 30, 2022		$ 12		$ 1		$ 1		709,818		(390,765)		(2,378)		316,689		4,397					321,086
Balance at end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022		125,424		6,686		6,478											125,424	6,686	6,478
Balance at beginning at Mar. 31, 2022		$ 12		$ 1		$ 1		700,167		(367,000)		(3,336)		329,845		2,208					332,053
Balance at beginning (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2022		116,689		12,294		6,478
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stock-based compensation								11,284						11,284							11,284
Shares withheld for employee taxes								(1,635)						(1,635)							(1,635)
Shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)		(434)
Other comprehensive income												958		958		(453)					505
Net loss										(23,765)				(23,765)		184					(23,581)
Issuance of common stock in connection with share-based plans								2						2							2
Issuance of common stock in connection with share-based plans (in shares)		3,561
Reclassification of noncontrolling interest (see Note 10)																2,458					2,458
Conversion of Class B common stocks to Class A common stock (in shares)		5,608		(5,608)
Balance at end at Jun. 30, 2022		$ 12		$ 1		$ 1		$ 709,818		$ (390,765)		$ (2,378)		$ 316,689		$ 4,397					$ 321,086
Balance at end (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2022		125,424		6,686		6,478											125,424	6,686	6,478