Walking down the hallways at PV, it is rare to hear students discussing the current political and economic state of the world. This phenomenon is not just limited to PV students; rather, it is an example of the nationwide trend of Gen Z consumers remaining ignorant of critical events regarding the world.
This is not to say that Gen Z is shallow, but they have fallen victim to social media and corporations. The rise in the influence of algorithmic tactics from companies like Instagram, Twitter and other news networks plays a significant role in hindering Gen Z’s interest in relevant topics by drawing attention to frivolous subjects.
In order to foster an interest in current events, younger generations should seek out world news on their own and they are entirely capable of doing so. However, their dependency on social media often causes them to stray from this path. Data shows 68% of Gen-Z turn to social media sites as their primary news source, and of the content on those websites, around 78% is related to celebrities.
The majority of the generation participates in promoting trivial “news,” such as the names of Kylie Jenner’s children or the recent endeavors pursued by-products of nepotism within the industry, simply by reading it on a social media app and conversing about it. Algorithms then recognize that this gossip has gained traction and expand on the same kinds of content, creating a cycle of intellectual confinement.
A narrow perspective of the world is emerging and the adverse effects can be seen in a decreased depth of conversation, indicating the value found in global awareness seems to be diminishing. A nescient Gen Z is appointed on the path to further humanity, but the lack of interest, on their behalf, in understanding the context behind disputes plaguing the world is alarming.
Addressing this pattern as a growing issue, senior Amanda Nelson shares, “I am on my phone frequently to use apps such as Snapchat and Tiktok. On both platforms, there is news-related content but almost all cover events related to celebrities.”
To combat this, individuals such as Nelson have become proactive by turning on notifications for the News app. Still, this minute action seems ineffective: “I was hoping to see a varied range of news, but the issues that seem to get the most attention are those related to Trump, US Troops, and Weather.”
While these issues are arguably more important, they shouldn’t be the sole array of the reported content. The general overview paints the picture that despite having access to expansive news sources, Gen-Z chooses to indulge in the shelter provided by mindless scrolling, but that only addresses half of the problem; the truth is far more chilling – nothing is given attention in proportion to its importance.
Junior Adrianna Slings recognizes the dissonance that conflicting platforms cause by sharing the same topic, “Me and my friends typically become aware of world news when we see it on social media somewhere. Most of the time, the news source is not trustworthy, so we will go and look it up on separate social media sites. But because we are being shown the same five topics, it is hard to become more aware.”
The space where stories concerning identical matters are broadcasted could be utilized in a far more productive manner by introducing underrepresented topics – headlines announcing repeated updates of Trump’s hearing could be replaced with arming the public with insight on the dangers of bio-hazards given the current circumstances faced by citizens in Ohio. Social platforms could then work to facilitate this coverage, substituting the negligible content regarding famous figures.
To instill a yearning within the masses to stay informed, enterprises such as Instagram and Twitter must assist the media outlets with creating a more beneficial cycle to counteract the one that Gen-Z has already established so the chatters floating around hallways can be varied.
juliane • Mar 1, 2023 at 10:33 am
Are there other ways we could consume news ?