Blog Post #1

Top Five Sources of News and Information

1. FOX News
When educating myself on current national and international news, I turn to the broadcasting channel FOX News. Growing up consistently engaging with this channel, I have come to enjoy their style of in-depth news reporting, along with the opinion and analysis of the news anchors and reporters. Listening to both fact and the perspectives of others allows the opportunity to develop my own beliefs on controversial topics and issues, which I am grateful to have the ability to do. To ensure that I am staying informed, I also downloaded the FOX News App. Notifications are periodically sent to my iPhone, depending on the urgency of the information being shared. The added convenience of receiving ongoing information to my mobile device accommodates my busy lifestyle, giving me the freedom to access the world at my fingertips.

2. Family
I take pride in being apart of a wonderful family that believes in the power of being educated and thinking critically. Dedication to continually expanding their knowledge on current events was instilled in me, as I have been taught to pay close attention to the world as it changes around me. After all, analyzing the present is essential to predicting what lies in the future. While my family and I share similar opinions on most news and information, it is refreshing to gain additional insight based on life experience that has shaped their beliefs. Overall, I recommend listening to current events and information from family, simply because it is a unique opportunity that offers a chance to form beliefs and conclusions of your own.

3. Instagram
In a world where social media reigns and over 4.9 billion social media users are accounted for, news spreads at a lightning speed. The issue however, is that not everything posted online is informative. While there are reliable sources to receive information, it becomes difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. Instagram specifically has 1.21 billion active users, able to share their opinions openly for the globe to see, but the information they are sharing may or not be true. Even then, the amount of users is expected to skyrocket by 2025 with a new generation. This is the immediate danger of platforms such as Instagram, where a younger demographic can be easily persuaded and misinformed. Personally, any type of news and information on my Instagram feed I cautiously take in with reservation. If I am interested in educating myself further on the news, I will locate an appropriate source and research accordingly. Despite the risk, becoming acquainted with Instagram is another chance to engage with others and converse on ideas relating to current news and information in a truthful manner.

4. X
The social platform X, formerly known as Twitter, was renamed in July of 2023 during the transition of ownership to billionaire, Elon Musk. More than just a name change was initiated, but also a complete rebranding. With misinformation reaching new heights, he decided that a change was in needed to secure informing brilliant minds across the world with truthful information, so that they may reach conclusions themselves. Musk opted to reform X to a reliable place where voices are amplified, not restricted. In addition, he requires that community fact checks must include sources, to prove the legitimacy of the content being shared. While this does not completely dissolve the issue, it combats the struggle of misinformation spreading at an alarming rate. For these reasons, I enjoy scrolling on X to remain updated on current events around the globe and understanding that the risk of misinformation is minimized. Exercising the right to voice your opinion is a pillar to our sacred country, which is why X provides an environment where individuals feel comfortable to share is so important.

5. TikTok

Although TikTok is my least visited social platform, it is regularly used by 170 million individuals in the United States alone. While I do not utilize TikTok as a source for news, information continually floods my feed and infiltrates the algorithm I have set. The majority of information shared is opinion based. Unfortunately, this leaves error for misinformation, especially to the primary consumer, Generation Z. Over 60% of TikTok users fall into this generation, which leaves them without life experience to reflect and make decisions upon. I highly encourage others to be mindful when listening to news and information on this platform and understand the importance of thinking critically on the topics being discussed. From a different perspective, this app acknowledges the exchange of ideas freely. For this reason, I would recommend using TikTok for entertainment purposes, rather than for informing yourself on current news and information.