In recent weeks, there has been widespread discourse on the ban of TikTok in the United States of America. While this ban was implemented due to privacy concerns and data security, it proved there is a high reliance on the app for many young people. TikTok was only banned for a day, but it still caused a disarray among many influencers. Influencers quickly moved their content to other platforms in hopes to get their audience to keep following their online journey. Although TikTok started as a platform for entertainment, it has quickly become an integral part of how the younger demographic communicate, learn, and engage with current affairs, sparking an intriguing discussion of the role of influencers.
One of the most alarming consequences to this reliance is how social media has become a primary source of news for young people. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter have replaced traditional news outlets for many. On the surface, this might seem like a democratisation of information, where news becomes more accessible and immediate. However, this shift comes with significant downsides. Social media algorithms often prioritise dramatic, hyperbolic content over accuracy, leading to misleading information. As a result, young people often find themselves consuming a distorted version of reality.
This raises an important question: Are influencers becoming modern-day journalists? Influencers often deliver information in a way that is dramatic and engaging, which resonates with young audiences. However, unlike traditional journalists, influencers are not bound by the same ethical standards or fact-checking processes. An influencer’s goal is to build a following and maintain engagement, which can lead to biased or incomplete information. This blurring of lines between entertainment and journalism poses a serious threat to the integrity of news and leaves young people vulnerable.
At the same time, social media’s role in news consumption is not entirely negative. In some cases, it has empowered ordinary people to hold journalists and traditional media outlets accountable. For example, the hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown highlighted the biased representation of Black individuals in media coverage, sparking widespread conversations about racial stereotyping. By contrasting images of individuals, one respectable and one stereotypical, users criticised the way news outlets often choose photographs that perpetuate negative narratives. Movements like this showcase the potential of social media to challenge traditional power structures and promote more honest storytelling.
The ban of TikTok has forced many to reconsider the role of social media in their lives, but this is just the tip of the iceberg; while TikTok’s absence might encourage some to seek out alternative ways to connect and stay informed, it also highlights the dangers of relying on such platforms for our information. Young people need to be empowered to seek information from credible sources and learn media literacy skills which allow them to differentiate between real and fake news. The recent TikTok bans serve as a wake-up call, a reminder that our relationship with social media is oftentimes toxic. We need to recalibrate social media from passive consumption to intentional engagement. By addressing its downsides, we can help ensure that the next generation is informed, critical, and resilient in the face of an ever-changing digital landscape.
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