Most teenagers don’t hear breaking news from television broadcasts or printed headlines, rather they see it while scrolling. Between funny memes, music clips, storytimes, videos about war, elections and natural disasters also appear, and oftentimes without warning. The same space meant for entertainment has quickly become a primary news source.
WS teachers across multiple academic departments have noticed the shift in how their students consume the news.
“Over the last two to three years there has been a huge shift. A lot of students consume news through social media. It’s hardly beyond reading a headline,” said English teacher Beth Leone.
For students, many formal news sources have been replaced with short social media clips.
“Students rely on social media for their information. Legacy media, newspapers, television news, radio are no longer sources used,” said government teacher Brian Taylor.
Often, mainstream media sources are considered to be more reliable than social media for consuming news. With most students getting their news primarily from social media, they may be exposed to misinformation.
“Legacy media has to be credible or they lose their livelihood and readership. Whereas social media, it doesn’t have to be credible. As a matter of fact, the more unreliable it is, the more likely it is to go viral,” said Taylor.
Social media platforms tend to prioritize engagement. What sparks emotion spreads, and what spreads becomes visible. What becomes visible begins to feel important.
“Viral videos tend to evoke emotion. If people aren’t extremely scared or happy, it won’t go viral. So sometimes news stories aren’t the most important but something to evoke emotion so people talk about it,” said senior Anaïs Martinez.
Instead of reading full articles, many students absorb news through short-form summaries and viral posts. While this might help students understand complex issues, it also tends to oversimplify nuanced topics.
“I think it’s a great way to learn a little bit about a lot. But the issues students should be involved and want to be involved in are so nuanced that social media can’t be sufficient,” said Leone.
This environment can also shape emotional responses. Tragic or graphic events appear without transition or warning.
“Today, youth are exposed to much more baggage than they can carry. I don’t think it’s ever going to go away but maybe in the future, we’ll have the safety and parameters in place to pull back on that 24/7 exposure,” added Leone.
Some students describe feeling informed but overwhelmed.
“I feel like I’m generally informed about global events but it’s almost to a point where it’s like too much. You can’t solve every issue globally and it’s overwhelming to know that there is so much pain and suffering on our planet. It’s like I can’t do a whole lot, but I’m still carrying that weight with me,” said Martinez.
Finding that balance between awareness and overload defines much of this generation’s relationship with news. Teens are consuming more information than any generation before them, yet often in fragmented pieces.
“I think teens are more open to newer ideas less than they are properly informed. Opinions are quick to change, which results in misinformation coupled with information overload,” said junior Annaleah Corado.
Algorithms also tend to impact the understanding of different issues. According to the National Institute of Health, digital media algorithms are designed to strongly optimize for engagement above all else. This creates feedback loops that reinforce pre-existing biases, prioritizing content that confirms what users already believe rather than challenging them.
“The algorithms feeding you stuff that reinforces pre-conceived notions, kind of that echo chamber effect which is problematic because you’re not being confronted with information to the contrary of what you already believe, which is what you should be doing if you want to be educated,” said Taylor.
Educators emphasize that the goal isn’t to discourage students from engaging in current events. It’s more about giving teens the tools they need to navigate the world of social media and world news. By adopting media literacy, students can keep consuming important information while also making informed and accurate decisions.
“You should be aware of where your news is coming from. You shouldn’t use the same news source exclusively, and you should seek out less biased sources. I also recommend using websites like All Sides, which takes all the media sources and categorizes them based on their bias. They also have their own journalists who take issues and very intentionally write a story,” said Leone.
In a world where headlines move faster than facts, media literacy is no longer optional. As students navigate a constant stream of information online , the ability to question and verify information is more important than ever.
