21 November 2024 by MIJ Times
With an increasing number of young adults now on social media, it is no surprise that young Swedes are turning towards it to consume their news. It appears that the days of mainstream media leading the way for news consumption may be numbered, especially with young adults.
“I usually get news through social media, mostly because it’s practical”, says Hilda, 21.
“Of course, there is a danger of misinformation and if there is big news, I check multiple sources, but news cannot be totally impartial”, she concludes.
Hilda, 21, uses social media to consume news. Photo: Joe Skillicorn
Many say that social media shouldn’t be used as the medium for news consumption, citing disinformation and division. However, according to a 2024 report by research foundation Svenskarna och internet, many Swedes believe that social media is beneficial to their social life, making it easier to communicate with existing contacts and expanding their social circle. Yet, not everyone is convinced.
“Fast film content comes with disinformation” says Ida, 26, a student at the University of Gothenburg. “For example, TikTok is very algorithmic and pushes division between young girls and boys. I don’t have TikTok. I don’t want to have another app on my phone to waste my time on”, she says.
A recent study from Statista forecasts users on social media to grow by nearly one million between 2024 and 2029 in Sweden, likely resulting in increased numbers of young people consuming news from social media platforms.
“I try to watch the news in the morning to get the latest updates, but I mostly use social media”, says Ebba, 23, a student at the University of Gothenburg.
“You have to trust mainstream media, but of course you have to think about information you hear and validate it yourself. You can’t just believe everything you hear”, she continues.
Moving forward, mainstream media organisations may struggle in their quest to reach out to younger audiences, despite having a social media presence on the most popular platforms around the world, including Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. So, how can they both reach out and retain young audiences?
“They need to be on different platforms, understanding which headlines, pictures and formats attract younger audiences. The tone of their reporting must change” says Ebba.