Does Where You Get Your News From Matter?
By Carmen Garcia
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
In an age where news has become increasingly accessible over the internet, I often find myself being reminded of the importance of credibility. Readily aware of my own personal biases and how they might differ from another persons, I see this impacting my choice of news sources. However, this is not a problem exclusive to me. Everyone responds to their personal biases by seeking out news that best fits their worldview. This tendency of individuals is best explained by the power media has in its ability to not only inform its consumers, but construct the public’s beliefs, attitudes, and relationship to social change. News outlets provide coverage through selection and narrative bias. So keep this in mind when deciding on a source for your news. What poses further concerns is social media’s evolution as a distributor of news. As a user of social media myself, I know very well that in the absence of safeguards against misinformation, I have the freedom to share virtually anything - accurate or not. As for what is being consumed on these apps, the visibility of content is determined by an algorithm that is not optimized for providing accurate information, but rather focused on engagement. This allows for the spread of ‘false but interesting’ content. In other words, social media is a breeding ground for misinformation.
Importance of Credibility
Credibility, at its core, is the foundation of any news report. As the Society of Professional Journalists state, there is a code of ethics that include four principles which make for a credible news source. They are as follows; Seek truth and report it, in order to be accurate and fair; Be accountable and transparent, by taking responsibility and explaining your decisions; Minimize harm, through respectful treatment of sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public; Act independently, in order to serve the public.
Such credibility becomes undermined when media ownership arises. Media outlets owned by corporations with a particular political agenda begin to prioritize reporting that aligns with their interests, at the expense of opposing viewpoints, leading news outlets to cover events through selection and narrative bias. This undermines the principle of acting independently, of holding those in power accountable, and of minimizing harm to those voices not being represented. As with social media, if the first principle of seeking truth and reporting on it were to be upheld, content would be determined by the accuracy of information. Instead, content is determined by an algorithm focused on engagement.
Bias and Misinformation
Selection bias and narrative bias in news reporting dictate what events will be covered and how they will be covered. The tendency of news outlets to choose certain events to cover while ignoring others is selection bias. The way events are framed and reported is narrative bias. It is possible to detect selection and narrative bias by comparing the covered event from one news source with others. This is not to say that this is in any way easy, as individuals exhibit confirmation bias when searching for and prioritizing information that will confirm their beliefs while refuting information that goes against them. Regardless, this does not undermine its importance, as without comparing your sources, individuals lose the ability to create sound judgements and resilience against misinformation.
Misinformation, which is false or misleading information, has an incredible impact on social media platforms, most notably TikTok. TikTok, like other social media platforms, positions anyone who uses the app as a “news” source. The implications of this become further exaggerated due to the speed in which this “news” reaches users. Researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that fake news can spread up to 10 times faster than true reporting on social media.
The Impact on Public Opinion
Media plays a crucial role in shaping the public's beliefs, opinions, and actions. This, paired with the rapid evolution of social media enabling the sharing creation of content and discussions, has made social media a powerful tool for shaping public opinion. While personal biases influence individuals’ chosen news outlets, confirmation bias can explain why individuals give greater credence to evidence that fits their existing beliefs. Individuals do so to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the discomfort associated with consuming information that goes against their personal beliefs. This becomes problematic as the choices made as a result are not fully informed.
Research consistently shows how individuals' perceptions are influenced by the extent of their exposure to a particular subject. For example, through covering one political candidate more than the other, a news outlet may use a more critical tone discussing the other candidate/s and disproportionately focus on policy issues or campaign events benefitting the other. Serving as a clear example of selection bias, what is done simultaneously is the use of narrative bias. Lauren Feldman, a Rutgers University’s Professor of Journalism and Media Studies states “Media coverage of candidates can affect public perceptions and voter behaviour in many ways, as media are a key way that people learn about the candidates and the issues that are at stake.”
Misinformation, as displayed on social media, can be dangerous. By giving users of the app free range, an individual could give anywhere from medical to legal advice. While they can express their personal biases on the app, they may not be an expert in either the medical nor legal field. This runs the risk of steering viewers in the wrong direction. This is clearly what is being done by many users on TikTok. In a 2023 study by the University of Arizona, 40% of medical videos were found to contain medical misinformation. Similarly, the University of Chicago also conducted a study on TikTok and its spread of health misinformation. Researchers concluded that nearly half was non-factual, and those individuals who entrusted such medical information prior to seeking help from healthcare professionals, noted detrimental health outcomes.
Understanding that where you access your news could have evident impacts on public opinion might make you reconsider what sources you prioritize. If we recognize the role that bias and misinformation plays in news reporting, and the inverse effect it has on creating sound judgement, it can encourage people to seek out additional sources. While understanding your natural predisposition in wanting to confirm your own biases, try to remind yourself that by limiting your intake, you can miss out on important information. People trust what they read and believe it, without always questioning it, and the implications of this can be seen in making decisions that are not fully informed. While TikTok and other social media platforms might give you your information at a rate much faster than news outlets and research that can be cross examined to better your judgement, why risk trusting the opinions of others that lack credibility?