We live in the new age of technology, where it makes it easy to access news and information, with just a simple click. The advancements that have been made in technology have made living easier than in comparison to other generations. We have come a long way from using the word-by-mouth method to receive our news. Today, the second you open your phone you can know within seconds what is going on 2 miles or 2,000 miles from you. There are numerous ways in which we can receive our information, and how we choose to get our information says a lot about who we are, how we perceive the world, and even the technology that we use.
#1 Tiktok
TikTok has not only taken over my life( much like everyone else on this planet), but it has also changed my life. Growing up, I was never interested in watching the news, I found that trying to do so made me bored, and 75% of the time I would just fall asleep. News channels are bottomless pits and I wanted no part of that, so I never watched the news when I was younger. Back then I would get my information through my parents or my friends who watched the news, so I would rely heavily on them. But now I have social media apps like TikTok to thank. I am hooked on staying up to date with current events.
I use TikTok daily, and 95% of the time it's just simply for pure mindless entertainment. But every once in a while I get information about current events, that are not celebrity or entertainment-related, and it reels me in. I get so hooked, that I exit TikTok to look at other social media apps for one of two reasons. The main reason that I do this, is to double-check that what I have just watched is in fact true. The second reason I do this is to dig deeper and learn as much information as I possibly can about said event.
I was scrolling through TikTok a few days ago when I came across this video. It was a video of DWTS Pro Artem Chigvintsev being arrested for a domestic violence incident. At first, I didn't believe it, because sometimes TikTok publishes false or misconstrued information. So I just kept scrolling, until I saw another video covering the same information. So I did what any sane person would do, I closed the app and went straight to Instagram. And there it was the story that I thought was not true. So I investigated some more on Google and I learned two things: the first is that this is a very tragic story and I hope everyone involved is okay and two that this is the exact reason why I will always use TikTok as a source of information. Not only does it keep me engaged in the story, but it allows me to work on my investigative and research skills. I can constantly be up to date, and work on telling whether or not a story is good or bad.
#2 Instagram
Much like TikTok, I use Instagram for pure entertainment. What makes this app different, however, is that I can use it as a way of staying in touch and checking with friends and family. I like using Instagram because I feel that it gives me more access to local small stories than outlets like TikTok do. Following People Magazine on Instagram gives me the most access to those local stories. By simply scrolling through my feed, I was able to discover a story about a man who couldn't sue Disney after his wife died and I became intrigued. What I love about People Magazine and news outlets on Instagram is that not only will they have a post with just a few words to get you hooked, but they will also provide a link to the story, so that if you choose to do so, you can learn about by reading the full article. My feed is catered with little local stories like the one above and I prefer those in comparison to larger stories shared by almost every news outlet. I feel that I am more interested in those, because not everyone may know about them.
#3 Google
I love using Google as a source of research. As a criminal justice and psychology major, I am constantly doing research for classes and assignments. So Google is my best friend. But as a source of information in terms of what is going on in the world, I treat Google as a secondary source. When I come across something on social media, I immediately open up Google and do my research. I am fascinated with how Google works and operates. If I simply type in news I am led to countless sites and news outlets covering millions of stories every day. I am given information from NBC News, CNBC, and CNN, which allows me to get different perspectives and to have a well-rounded knowledge of what is happening in our world. Something I feel is lacking when we get our information off of social media.
# Friends and Family
I love to gossip, especially when I am with my friends and family. I am a big advocate for gossiping, I believe that it is important to human life. When I am with my loved ones we will just sit and talk for hours at a time. Usually, it's about nothing, sometimes it's about what is going on in the world and most of the time it's about what's happening with us and our lives. It may not be classified as national or even local news, but it's still news to us. I love catching up especially since my loved ones are all scattered throughout the globe and our lives look and feel different in terms of where we are living. I love laying in bed and listening to my sister talk about the new guy she is dating, I love it when my jaw drops to the floor when I find out what happened at a frat party that my cousin went to. I think that you need to gossip, stay informed, and just talk about the little things in life when there is so much pain and change happening all around us. Doing this keeps me sane and happy and it also keeps me connected to those that matter the most to me.
#5 Apple News
It's safe to say that I am never without my phone, if I could I would surgically attach it to my body. I use my phone so much now that I have made it a daily thing to use the Apple News app, which is something I never thought I would do. I am typically not the type of person who lives off of the default apps placed by Apple. But something about getting a notification from Apple News gives me pleasure. If I used this app religiously I would say that it is my main source of information because if we want to get technical, I get my news first from Apple. As soon as I look at my phone I see notifications from Apple News and my eyes start to wander to see what today's stories are about. In fact, I learned about Biden dropping out of the Presidential race not from TikTok or Instagram, but from Apple News. It baffles me the chain of events that occur when a piece of news hits the media. For me, it starts with Apple News, my phone pings and I get a notification that I almost always ignore. Then I hit up TikTok and Instagram where I can't ignore the news, even if I tried and then I somehow end up googling the information for 30+ minutes.
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