MILWAUKEE — TMJ4 News is proud to recognize the 6th Annual National News Literacy Week, presented by the News Literacy Project, USA Today, and our parent company, E.W. Scripps. The objective of this week is to provide tools and resources to help individuals skillfully navigate today’s information landscape.
One focus this year centers on social media companies and their role in fact-checking and moderating user-generated content. As major players like Meta roll back programs designed to control misinformation and disinformation, concerns about online censorship remain a hot topic among social media users.
Lighthouse reporter Ryan Jenkins sought the opinions of Generation Z by asking local college students at Marquette University their thoughts on fact-checking and content moderation in a digital world.
“You’ll catch me in Marquette Place just eating my bagel and scrolling through the news,” said MaryKate Stepchuck, a freshman at Marquette, about her daily routine.
For Gen Z, it’s not a question of whether they’re paying attention to the news, but rather how they consume it.
Watch: Gen Z on News Literacy: Milwaukee students on social media fact-checking
“It’s about how that news is being consumed,” said Raquel Ruiz, a sophomore.
Nick Gross, also a freshman, mentioned his news sources, saying, “I like cable news; I usually watch Fox News and CNN to get a diversity of sources. For podcasts, I typically listen to the Charlie Kirk Show or the Joe Rogan Show.”
These freshmen and sophomores highlight a variety of ways to stay informed, including traditional sources and newer digital platforms.
“Obviously, my generation is very into TikTok,” said Raquel.
Despite the abundance of information available, these journalism and political science students emphasize the importance of verifying sources.
“It’s very easy to find people who think they know how to report the news when really they don’t have much experience,” said MaryKate. “That’s when you can easily fall into misinformation and disinformation.”
The rise of citizen journalism coincides with social media becoming a primary news source.
The White House has even invited podcasters and influencers to attend press briefings for the first time as leaders of social media companies decrease centralized efforts to combat misinformation, placing the responsibility of fact-checking on users.
“The goal of fact-checking has been to make it easier for people to access accurate and trusted information, especially on the internet,” said Angie Holan, director of the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute in Florida.
Holan has worked closely with companies like Meta to develop shared standards of accuracy and expressed concern about dismantling these programs.
“We are concerned this will create more conspiracy theories and hoaxes on social media platforms,” she said.
However, some, like Nick, view the situation as an opportunity for news consumers to become more engaged.
“It can be a good thing because I think this is an opportunity for the general public to become more news literate,” he said.
If nothing else, this serves as a reminder to always consider multiple perspectives on any story, even while scrolling online. Nick advises, “Make sure you know what you’re looking at. Understand who’s putting it out there, why they’re doing it, and try to grasp their intention.”
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