Jane Carroll, Story Editor
Graphic by Jane Carroll
To answer the big question, Yes, teens read news, but rarely through traditional print. Instead, they primarily rely on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
The world has evolved from flipping through a daily newspaper and turning on the radio to be updated on the latest news, instead people now pick a phone and go on an app. But the use of other sources or lack thereof is evident among teenagers. As seen on media around the world there is a stereotype of teenagers not knowing what is going on around the world from social protests and revolutions to major political conflicts.
Propaganda and fake news are found on all platforms of social media and quickly circulate via reposts, shares and word of mouth. Medium recently did a study with high schoolers to see where the average teen gets information or latest news. The report reveals that 72% of teens turn to friends or family first for information, and 60% head to social media platforms. Many high schoolers not only find it more convenient to open their phones for quick information, while some critique that there is a lack of legitimacy in doing so.
There is no doubt that legitimate news sites can be biased, highlighting only the good or bad parts and tweaking stories resulting in an altered perspective which then gets passed along. However, this belief of news being unreliable is a bigger issue. Educated Week looked into the numbers of teens and their opinion of where and how to find trustworthy information. During the survey they found that 84% of teens find that news is untrustworthy. The use of artificial intelligence has raised concerns on how fast fake news can spread. In the report, it argues that teens are highly vulnerable to manipulation and influence by political propagandists, trolls, conspiracy theorists and ideological extremists. A staggering 60 percent of teens say reporters “take photos or videos out of context.” While this may be true, the issue of teens not knowing basic global news is still prevalent.
Where should teens be getting reliable, quick and easy access news from? While there is no right or wrong answer to this question it does pose further questions in regards to how the world is changing. Newspapers are still used around the world, but as technology advances, the abundance and need for them decreases. Adults view teenagers using phones and technology as a negative approach to knowing global issues. But not all social media platforms are as bad or unreliable as some make it sound.
News brands such as CNN, BBC News, The New York Times, Fox News and Google News all have apps that are user friendly, well known and most importantly accessible to all with a phone. However, sometimes it’s not a matter of if teens have access to read the news but whether or not they want to actually read it. NBC did a study with American teenagers to find that a staggering 78% feel it is important to follow current events, but they often distrust traditional media, describing it as “boring” or “depressing”. Hearing about political, social and economic conflict is without a doubt not a fan favorite especially among the younger generation. Ultimately, it is important to stay in touch and connected to what is happening around the world.
While there is no perfect solution to this issue, there are ways to adapt to the modern world and keep up with global news. Watching news stations, reading online articles on apps, using traditional print newspapers, listening to podcasts and radio stations in a car and asking friends and family about topics are easy access resources.
