A recent study has revealed that teenagers are more inclined to believe online conspiracy theories compared to older generations, highlighting the significant influence of Gen Z’s interaction with social media.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-profit organization combating misinformation, conducted the study and found that 60% of individuals aged 13 to 17 agreed with at least four harmful conspiracy statements. This percentage was higher than the 49% of adults who shared the same views. Among teenagers who spent four or more hours daily on a single social media platform, this number climbed to 69%.
Imran Ahmed, CEO of CCDH, cautioned against relying on the assumption that younger generations will rectify the problems left by preceding ones. Misinformation, he emphasized, poses a serious threat regardless of the generation. He stressed that if these misguided beliefs persist into the future, they could seriously strain democracy and its foundational values.
The study surveyed over 1,000 adults and 1,000 teenagers aged 13 to 17, gathering insights into their perspectives on social media and its impact. Respondents were also asked to indicate their agreement with harmful statements spanning various categories of misinformation, such as anti-vaccine claims, antisemitism, and Covid-19 falsehoods.
This report adds to the growing awareness of the negative repercussions of social media on young individuals’ mental health. However, the CCDH study highlights that the influence of social media extends beyond individual well-being, raising concerns about society’s susceptibility to misinformation and hate speech.
In a parallel development, younger generations increasingly rely on social media for news and online searches. Recent Google data revealed that 40% of Gen Z now favors platforms like TikTok and Instagram over traditional search engines. Moreover, a 2022 study indicated that 50% of Gen Z respondents obtain daily news through social media, while only 5% read newspapers.
These trends are exacerbated by the ascent of AI-powered chatbots and search engines like ChatGPT, raising new concerns, according to Ioana Literat, an associate professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, who studies social media. The intersection of AI and false information, especially conspiracy theories, is becoming a significant issue, as AI’s capacity to generate manipulated content grows. This situation prompts concerns about a potential increase in misleading statistics.
Experts are particularly alarmed by the proliferation of generative AI, which could exponentially amplify the spread of misinformation, inundating the information landscape with harmful content.
Ironically, the younger generation is more cognizant of the risks posed by online media, with 83% of those aged 13 to 17 acknowledging that online dangers translate to offline consequences, compared to 68% of adults. The central query, as the report poses, is how to address this challenge.
To address the escalating risks, the CCDH introduced a framework based on insights from a global summit on online harm in 2022, attended by lawmakers from various countries. Named the “Star” framework for legislative reform, it emphasizes four core principles: Safety by Design, Transparency, Accountability, and Responsibility.
The survey found that 42% of respondents supported this framework, with over 70% agreeing with specific components, such as the call for transparent and safe-by-design products.
Ahmed emphasized that the public recognizes the offline repercussions of online harm and holds social media companies partly accountable due to their algorithms amplifying hate and disinformation. He stated that the report urges legislators to take action, as people demand change and understand its necessity.
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