As social media continues to rise and dominate modern-day media, there is a clear distinction in where different generations get their news. Since the 1940s, TV news broadcasts have been popular and reliable, updating the public on current events. However, in the past two decades, social media has surged as a quick and easy-to-access alternative source for news, though not always proving to be the most accurate.

Different generations tend to demonstrate their preferences and habits when it comes to obtaining news. Older generations, like Baby Boomers, mostly are seen to rely on more traditional media like TV networks, radio stations and even newspapers. On the other hand, the current generation seems to trust social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and X for their news.

Generation X still shows patterns of using traditional platforms, like news networks and broadcasts. Today, online news websites and social media dominate the field, embodying values of convenience and trustworthiness that are built into the generations of Millennials and Gen Z. Although not always accurate, they provide a quick update on events around the globe, allowing teenagers to gain information easily. Teenagers in Gen Z are leaning towards the easier option of getting their news from social media platforms.

Teresa Barnes, a new Intro to Business and Marketing teacher, found that her new sources align more with the younger generations.

“I mostly check Instagram and TikTok for my news — I wish I was more current and using credible sources,” Barnes said.

Barnes explained how social media has become influential in today’s spread of news information, directly targeting teenagers and influencing their opinions. 

“I would assume that people in [Generation] Z are more likely to get their news off social media,” Barnes said. “However, this can also be unfortunate because in TikTok you get stuck in an algorithm which can lead you to see certain biased or inaccurate news.”

The algorithm set up by social media applications can cause teenagers to only see one-sided news or lead them to watch inaccurate sources or headlines on their feeds. 

“News sources like CNN and FOX News are more likely to have accurate news unlike social media platforms,” Barnes said. “However, [social media platforms] are a lot easier to access for teenagers.”

Caroline Hunt (‘24), a student at the University of California-Berkeley, and past Falconer Asst. Editor-in-Chief discussed her social media use and news consumption habits. Hunt relies on Apple News for aggregated updates and follows various news outlets like Time Magazine, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. 

Most people have their preferred news broadcasts where they believe the information to be reliable and not biased. However, this is not always the case. Popular news media outlets like the Guardian, CNN, NBC News and The Washington Post are left leaning and not neutral according to All Sides Media Bias Chart.  

All sides prove that although many assume that their news sources are providing them with reliable information, it is not the case as many of them are skewed and biased. Most of these broadcasts are usually directed towards a specific target audience, which makes them favored by a certain population.

Hunt prefers actual news channels for in-depth information and acknowledges the bias in how news is presented in social media.

“I feel like social media headlines are written so that you click on it and it is misleading,” Hunt said. 

Nethra Mahendran (‘24) currently attends Claremont Mckenna College. Mahendran discussed her interactions with popular news sources.

“For the most part, I read the The New York Times for my news,” Mahendran said. “However I do believe that all sources that you read have biased, biased news doesn’t always encapsulate all sides of an argument or discussion.” 

Mahendran explained that no matter where you read a form of bias will always exist, usually by the writer or news source. 

 “I relatively read what is mostly catered to my own opinions and ideas on certain topics and this can cause me to only have one side of a topic which can be inaccurate,” Mahendran said.

As adolescents gather their news from a variety of sources it can lead them to be misled about certain topics and properly differentiate from accurate and inaccurate news. 

Mahendran explained how she validates her own understanding of politics.

“I feel like the more people you are able to talk to, the more opinions you can gather which helps you justify your own sources and become more educated in that topic,” Mahendran said. 

Taking a look into current events, social media platforms and news sources have been shown to impact the presidential election and the opinions of voters. Barnes shared insights on how the rise of social media has affected politics.

“Looking into politics, I think social media has become a really big part of it, and from what I’ve seen on TikTok,” Barnes said. “[For example,] Charli XCX has her ‘BRAT’ album and it has become a big part of Kamala Harris’s campaign. From a marketing perspective, we’ve never seen anything like this before, [where] presidential campaigns [are] being seen through pop artists.”

Hunt believes that social media can not ideally influence opinions and lacks accuracy, but they also see its value when keeping people informed. Noting that news sources can affect the opinions of people voting in elections, Hunt emphasized the importance of diverse perspectives.

“If I see some news headlines on social media relating to the election, I feel like my opinion is already formed quickly, like the second you read it,” Hunt said. “I don’t think getting news from social media is necessarily bad because that means that more people are staying up to date on what is happening and being more informed.”

Barnes also remarked on how social media trends impact elections and candidates.  

“Unfortunately it seems that parts of the election are being treated like a joke, and turned into a meme, instead of being kept serious like political matters should and always have been,” Barnes said.

Barnes explained how she believes social media as a news source has become a valuable part of society and has made its impact. 

In the upcoming debate, the use of social media is expected to play a major role in influencing the decisions and opinions of citizens and voters. Similarly, social media will play into how news is spread and influence future generations.

“I think social media broadcasting news is here to stay for the foreseeable future,” Barnes said.