Every time I open TikTok, Instagram or X, I come across a barrage of videos and tweets that begin to blur across after 10 to 20 minutes (or two hours) of scrolling. There are recipes, vlogs, movie clips, celebrities and influencers. Interwoven between these skits are more jarring videos: clips of children from war-ridden countries, bleak updates on climate change and alarming attacks against immigrants. These videos pull me back into reality, and while on paper they seem out of place, these updates may be occupying the most effective place they can.
Social media has undoubtedly revolutionized the world in the last two decades. It has wormed its way into society’s everyday life to the extent that the average American’s screen time is around six hours per day.Additionally, since 2020, 53% of Americans, particularly young adults, have reportedly consumed news from social media, with over 50% of X and TikTok users regularly receiving news from the sites. While this information seems like a regression, why not look at it in a new light? Social media can present an opportunity to enhance the way society receives and consumes news. There are no sustainable ways to reverse the effects of social media, only ways to adapt to it.
The history of “news” in the U.S. can be traced back to the colonial era. Expensive newspapers reporting on European wars and relations circulated but weren’t sought after. The press’s importance grew in the following centuries; newspapers became readily available to the public, providing crucial updates on war, public figures and politics. Newspapers began actively swaying public opinion on major debates. The arrival of the internet not only re-established the importance of the news but fundamentally transformed it. A small number of elite journalists no longer dominated the media –– now everyone does. And the development of social media apps like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram have only further democratized the news trade –– articles are anywhere and everywhere.
In recent years, younger generations have become increasingly suspicious of big, established news conversations and have turned to smaller, more personal ones in search of authenticity and honesty. A 2025 News Literacy Report study shows that the majority of teens (around 80%) believe major news publications are engaging in unethical practices: spreading misinformation, doing biased reporting and incorrectly contextualizing quotes and photos. This distrust is not limited to the news but applies to all big businesses. A Science Direct study on young consumers’ brand distrust young adults were quick to stray away from brands that were “two-faced” and “only interested in making money.” In an age where anything can be faked on screen, young consumers are seeking authenticity and humor. Now jokes about Fox News are a staple of TikTok, with videos and comments poking fun at the company getting hundreds of thousands of likes. On the flipside, clips of Nepali teenagers discussing the fall of the their government in September of 2025 and the future of their country on Discord are met with camaraderie, jokes and praise.
This dependence on social media for authentic news has its upsides and downsides. On one hand, it’s an accessible and incredibly simple medium with the potential to publicize otherwise underreported conflicts, such as the conflicts in Sudan and the Congo. Accounts like @bsonblast on X and Tiktok or @wisard_bisan1 on Instagram and Tiktok are able to give day to day updates to the general public. On the other hand, the information that users receive is usually cycled through and forgotten, with the majority of people neglecting to fact check or expand their knowledge.
Potential solutions to mitigate these negative effects could begin with media literacy classes in schools. Media literacy is the skill to critically analyze subjects in mass media and determine their creditability. This is anability that would help manage the amount of misinformation that is spread on the internet and learning it at an early age is crucial for a generation that is raised on the internet. Another solution could be social media apps improving the way they interact with small advocate accounts. Oftentimes these accounts are censored or outright banned for reporting on horrific conditions; Bisan, for example, has been permanently banned from TikTok for consistently reporting on the destruction of Palestine. While content moderation is necessary for handling hate speech and misinformation, it doubly silences well-intentioned and relied on accounts. It can be improved by independent, unbiased fact-checkers; messages encouraging users to fact-check information themselves or links to more sources; and ensuring that their use of moderation is apparent to both users and posters.
Despite the cons of the Information Age, seeking to return to the simplicity of prior eras is impossible and unproductive. Social media has the potential to be detrimental to the news industry or completely enhance it. Millennials, Gen Z and even Gen Alpha seek clarity, authenticity and reliability in their news –– these are new desires but not unachievable ones. This digital age of the news could bring community, spread knowledge and focus on unpopular but resonant stories.
One problem with ingesting news from social media is that content creators are activists, not journalists, and topics are very easy to distort. For example, a study last year found that pro-Palestinian posts outnumbered pro-Israel posts 17:1. The writer’s own reference to “destruction of Palestine” makes the point, if that is the perception they got from social media. I guess maybe they’re referring to Gaza (which is not “Palestine”) and it’s buildings and tunnel infrastructure which were largely destroyed? Maybe there’s a TikTok vid out there which shows why the Gaza government held Israeli hostages instead of giving them up and ending the war and destruction. I won’t hold my breath for that.