In 2026, the way information is shared greatly differs from that of previous years, mainly due to social media. Imagine how many times you have opened up a social media app in the last week and seen headlines that make it appear as if the world is ending. There is so much information and misinformation out there that it is easy to get overwhelmed by the number of articles all fighting for our attention.
Despite how extreme social media makes every event happening in the world seem, not all flashy headlines and news should be considered completely true. Many of the reports we see on apps like TikTok are aimed at getting the most interaction possible, which makes some creators exaggerate the extremity of the events they decide to cover. Many of these viral videos are intended to get a reaction out of viewers, leading to heated arguments in comment sections by people who do not know the full story with all the facts. Now more than ever, it is important for young people and students to verify a source’s credibility before commenting or sharing something false that could harm them in the future.
Although social media makes current events accessible for everyone, it is essential to take the danger of a single story into consideration before jumping to conclusions. People must stay informed because current events can affect everyone, even indirectly. If we are ignorant to the issues happening around us, we risk being unaware of the type of actions we should take.
A way to get information other than using social media is to turn to news articles. A resource BLS provides for students to stay informed is The New York Times, which can be accessed through the digital resources provided by the Keefe Library website. Students can also use unbiased news channels, radios and podcasts to stay up-to-date with the latest information. Ultimately, it is best to stay informed using a variety of sources rather than relying on a single one.
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Ms. Clara Webb: “I look at other stuff too, but on a more consistent basis, I read The New York Times articles. […] There’s so much going on, and sometimes it does feel like a flood of information, and can feel overwhelming and disempowering, but I do think it’s important [to stay informed] because, ultimately, we do have some say in what happens.”
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Mr. Andy Zou: “I try to get a diverse range of sources. […] Usually, it’s National Public Radio or sometimes podcasts. I also get a lot from social media, […] but I’ll follow a different variety of sources that I generally trust. […] I think it’s important to understand what’s happening in our world because […] eventually, what happens in the world does come back to us.”
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Ikra Abbasi (II): “Sometimes, I see things on social media and I immediately want to believe them, but what I end up doing is searching them up on the news. […] Things will make national headlines super quickly, but you don’t get the whole story in certain situations. […] It’s really important to stay informed because if you don’t have the most up-to-date information, you never know how [current events] can affect you.”
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Orson Giblin (II): “A lot of the time, it’ll just pop up on my Instagram or TikTok feed. Either that, or I’ll read about it on Google. […] I think it’s important to stay informed because the things that you think about the world will influence the conclusions you draw.”
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Mason Finn (V): “I use […][The] New York Times to stay informed about current events. […] I think it’s important for students to stay informed because the decisions being made now will affect them for the rest of their lives, […] and it’s really important to know what’s happening and why it’s happening.”
