Image from PC mag: Social media apps where people can find news
By Allison Ortega Benites ’26
In today’s world, scrolling through social media has become one of the most common ways people consume news. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X share information frequently, often faster than traditional news outlets.
There’s no denying that social media has changed how we access information. People, including myself, are always on social media, and news tends to appear on our feeds in different forms, such as short videos, trending posts, and viral threads. For many, especially younger people, social media feels more relatable and accessible than traditional news. People online explain events in simple ways that make the information easier to understand. Every time there is a major event happening in the world, it usually starts with news articles, followed by people talking about it online.
The main problem is that misinformation can spread quickly, sometimes faster than the truth. Because of this, and people’s tendency to rely on social media for news, many risk forming opinions based on false information. For example, on TikTok, many people spend their time scrolling through videos and seeing different types of content. People are constantly sharing their opinions, since that is how many use the platform today. Due to emotions and facts being mixed together online, false information can spread and be presented as fact when it is really emotion-based.
We learned that journalists are expected to fact-check information and present multiple sides of a story. This level of responsibility is something social media often lacks. In my opinion, social media can still play an important role in journalism because it provides updates quickly and brings attention to important issues and events.
The Raider Press 