Trust in Online News Wanes Among Algonquin College Students in Social Media Era

In a digital age where misinformation spreads at unprecedented rates, college students are increasingly skeptical about the news they consume on social media platforms, raising concerns about media literacy among younger generations.

Nolan Berger, a student in early childhood education at Algonquin College, admits he primarily gets his news from social media, particularly TikTok, but recognizes the inherent risks. “You have to be more careful now with AI, there’s a lot of fake news on all social media,” Berger said.

He notes how misinformation spreads organically through his social feeds, particularly on Instagram. “I’ll see a lot of stuff on there, like someone died and then people repost it to their stories. I don’t really look for it. It just comes across my feed,” he explained.

This growing concern about misinformation has prompted educational initiatives like the recent collaboration between the Winnipeg Free Press and the Manitoba government. Their joint program aims to bring journalistic expertise into classrooms across Manitoba, teaching crucial media literacy skills through participatory initiatives that emphasize journalistic integrity.

The timing couldn’t be more critical, as the media industry faces multiple challenges including business model disruptions caused by social media, changing government legislation, and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology that facilitates the creation and distribution of false news.

According to UNESCO’s Handbook for Journalism Education and Training, AI technology is being weaponized to spread misinformation through bot accounts and increasingly sophisticated “deepfakes” – hyper-realistic videos featuring real people that are difficult to identify as fabrications. While bot accounts can often be detected, deepfakes pose a significant challenge, creating a substantial risk for the spread of disinformation and fraudulent content designed to discredit individuals.

Students at Algonquin College have varying perspectives on the issue. Zack Harous believes the problem of AI-generated fake news is somewhat exaggerated. “There has always been fake news,” he said. “Everybody blatantly lies online and I think AI is just another step towards that, but at least it’s got more research behind it.”

However, Harous acknowledges potential dangers, particularly for older demographics. “For me, it’s pretty easy to spot, but for older people, they might not be able to tell the difference between a human-written article and an AI-written article,” he noted, adding that AI “could be a bit more regulated.”

The Free Press initiative includes an online resource called “The Free Press 101,” which outlines journalism best practices such as accuracy in reporting, story acquisition methods, and distinguishing between fact-based reporting and opinion pieces.

Nathan Holmes, a paramedicine student at Algonquin College, has developed his own approach to verifying information. He prioritizes articles from authors with established reputations for factual reporting and becomes skeptical when encountering contradictory information about the same topic. “It makes me question both sources,” Holmes explained.

For Alex Sundaresan, a TV production student, the proliferation of AI has diminished his trust in mainstream media. “AI has drastically impacted my willingness to trust a lot of mainstream news sources because I would prefer them to be reported upon by actual humans with human interests rather than have a couple of keywords be shoved into an algorithm,” he said.

Sundaresan believes contemporary news has become increasingly impersonal and sensationalist, partly due to the emphasis on online platforms. He makes conscious efforts to fact-check content, especially when headlines appear sensationalized or designed as clickbait.

Multiple students expressed support for enhanced media literacy education. Holmes, who benefited from classes teaching basic media literacy skills, believes many in his Generation Z cohort struggle to apply critical thinking to online content. Sundaresan similarly advocates for “a compulsory media education course” at the high school level.

“All of us could benefit from being more literate about the media we consume, myself included,” Sundaresan said. “I’ve never had any formal training myself, I’m just trying to do the best I can with what little resources I have.”

As AI-generated content becomes increasingly sophisticated, the need for comprehensive media literacy education has never been more urgent, highlighting the value of initiatives like the Winnipeg Free Press project in preparing students to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.