The fate of journalism in the midst of social media

As a news consumer in the age of social media, it can feel almost impossible to know what’s credible and what’s not. Real or AI? Is the person talking on TikTok a trained journalist or just an influencer with opinions? Is the account I’m scrolling past a legitimate news organization or simply someone sharing their perspective?

As someone who wants to tell the news professionally, I notice that I consume differently than many of my peers. I look for the cues we’ve been taught in class. I double-check sources, look for secondary confirmation, and scan other outlets to see how they’re covering the story.

After nearly four years at Newhouse, media literacy has been drilled into me daily. But for the average consumer? That’s not always the case. I have plenty of friends who get nearly all their information from TikTok and Instagram. They scroll, engage in the comments, or repost on their stories. Attention spans last maybe five seconds—if that (can’t say I’m any different). The whole environment feels fast, chaotic, and noisy.

Still, social media is the best way to reach people today. Journalists have to strike a balance: be quick, accurate, and informative, while also captivating an audience. If done well, social media can be a powerful way to connect with communities. No one my age is watching linear TV anymore—except maybe my grandpa.

The truth is, people have endless content options at their fingertips, so journalism has to meet them where they are. Social platforms allow us not only to distribute stories but also to discover communities and voices that traditional outlets often overlook. And unlike old-school broadcasting, feedback from audiences is immediate. We see what resonates, what sparks questions, and what gaps need to be filled with deeper reporting.

Social media has created new challenges for journalism, but also new opportunities. If we use it thoughtfully, it has the potential to make news more diverse, engaging, and connected than ever before.