My Top 5 Sources of News and Information

Five Top Sources of News & Information

I believe that people my age have began to move away from conventional methods of receiving news. I personally feel as if it is a chore to read long news articles. Instead, I prefer to read snippets of news articles to get the "gist" of current events. I also like to watch short news clips. These methods help me obtain information in a short period of time, which allows me to hear about a wide variety of topics that I can choose to explore further or just gaze over. The PR Newswire, a news agency based in New York, reveals that sixty-four percent of teens would rather learn about current events through graphics, then read a lengthy article. I think that teens like to stay informed with what is going on in the world as long as it is quick, convenient, and simple to understand. That is why I get my news from popular social media platforms, just as several of my peers do. 

Instagram

I enjoy reading into news and current events on instagram. I use instagram frequently so it is fabulous when news pops up while I am scrolling through my feed; this way I do not even have to leave the app to become informed. I find that instagram is my favorite app to use for news as it is a visual app. Instagram was created for posting pictures and videos. Therefore, all news stories are formatted through graphics that are easy to absorb and efficient in delivering the central idea of a story.

https://www.instagram.com

Snapchat

Similarly to instagram, twitter is meant for short clips and photos. It is also a visual app that delivers brief and concise messages to users. I am always on snapchat so I love that I can manage my social connections and get news on the same app. Although snapchat is extremely convenient, it probably does not do the best job of keeping individuals informed about what is occurring in society. Snapchat excels at updating users on current celebrity dramas and trend-setting influencers, but the app was really just not made for news. I can still stay well-informed through snapchat but if I want a holistic picture of current events, I would probably use a different news source.

https://www.snapchat.com

Twitter

I personally dislike twitter. I prefer not to use Twitter because I think that the layout of the app is confusing. However, twitter seemed to be the best way to keep tabs on former president Donald Trump; therefore, I started to use it more frequently. Although obtaining news from twitter has become more common, especially with younger generations, Trump used this app to make several snide comments towards his critics. As a result, Twitter has become a media platform that people use to bash each other and has a negative online environment. Nonetheless, it is a great way to stay updated on current events.

https://twitter.com

Apple News

The apple news app is one of the more traditional news sources I use. Articles presented through apple news are biased (as all are), yet when I receive information here it feels more reliable than my other news sources, as news coverage is the sole purpose of this app. My only concern is that apple may filter out top stories that would make readers view this company in an unfavorable light. I like to keep tabs on Apple as it is a modern day monopoly, but I do not think that apple would hesitate to control the content that viewers see, especially when it relates to their image as a company.

https://www.apple.com/apple-news/

Facebook

Seldom do I use Facebook in general. Although Facebook is a convenient online platform to check news and maintain your social network, I would not recommend it as a news source. I often find that the news I read on Facebook is fake or has been morphed completely out of context, making it unreliable. Also, several news posts are heavily biased furthering the unreliability of information displayed. This is a problem with almost any news source that you come across, especially when controversial topics are involved. Furthermore, I have noticed that Facebook news requires more fact-checking. The final con about Facebook is its lack of privacy. It makes me extremely uncomfortable to know that all of the data I search for is being collected by Facebook.  This issue continues to be investigated as a legal problem today. According to BBC News, "Facebook will pay a record $5bn fine to settle privacy concerns." Additionally, BBC News also states that '"Despite repeated promises to its billions of users worldwide that they could control how their personal information is shared, Facebook undermined consumer' choices"' quoted by Joe Simmons, FTC Chairman. Now with this information in mind, I most likely will still continue to use Facebook, but less frequently than I already do. 

https://www.facebook.com/

It is safe to say that convenience and visual learning have dictated the methods in which I obtain news. In general, teens have gravitated towards using social media apps for news. It is clear that creators of instagram and snapchat are exploring alternate ways to inform teens and young adults of current events. Similarly to newspapers, online news articles may eventually become obsolete if future generations continue to gain news through social media.