By Vanessa Falcon

From Our August Issue

Every day, the world is bombarded with news of tragedies, protests, and crises that seemingly put everything to a stop. With so much going on, many news platforms aren’t covering it all. In times when people want to rely on journalists and news reporting, there is a big distrust in the media. 

People now turn to social media to educate themselves on recent events, an unexpected outlook heeding press exposure.

According to a study done by Gallup, an American analytics company, society’s trust in news media plummeted to 41%. The same study revealed that 69% of Democrats, 15% of Republicans, and 36% of independents are confident about the media reportage. Social media outlets, such as Twitter and TikTok, are one of the few things that allow people to communicate and disperse information on a broader spectrum.

TikTok influencer Nia Stanford, who goes by the tag name @bittnia, uses rap and music overall to educate people on the BLM movement and LGBT rights. She also advocates for women’s rights and uses her platform for the better and to keep others updated. 

“I’m passionate about activism and I’m also really passionate about talking to people. I like having a voice because that can enact conversation. It combines these ideals of socializing, communicating, activism. There are these forces that I vibe with and they’re very powerful and educating,” says Stanford.

“I always wrote raps. In my junior year of high school I always wrote diss tracks for fun and turned to TikTok for fun. I found my YouTube videos where I wrote diss tracks towards YouTubers and it became really popular on TikTok. It helps people listen to what I’m saying and it’s cathartic. People listen more if it’s in a bar. It’s catchy and it sticks with people.”

Other TikTok influencers such as John Bell(@jorobe), Ben Brainard(@ben_brainard), and Micah Yvette(@myycah) use their account for good as well— educating their viewers on mental health, the status of coronavirus, and women’s rights. These are just a few out of the dozens of TikTok influencers that have spoken up and for minority groups. 

Using the platform to spread campaigns, small businesses, and news on recent protests, Twitter has also been a safe space for many people. Twitter and other social media grounds don’t just show the ugly, superficial side of protests, they also show the good side as well. These sites supply first-hand experiences of protests and riots, something that other news sites keep away from watchers. 

“A lot of these protests are being led by Gen Z, a younger generation who hasn’t been reliant on traditional forms of media. Social media is the modern way to connect, ” says Divya Kumar, Tampa Bay Times news reporter who was arrested at a BLM protest.

“As journalists, we have to be conscious of areas we haven’t historically covered and we have to keep in mind what we can do to bridge those gaps.”

The recurring theme: community. Social media provides an easy way to connect and talk with each other.

“Social media is a great method for news but it’s also a livelihood for people. It’s ability to make a community and such, like on Tiktok where you see all these niches, is amazing. The root of it is community,” says Stanford. 

People have turned to these internet communities because nothing else has comforted them. In times where fear is spread, all people want is a sense of closure and dependency. No one wants to be left in the dark—  and social media prevents this. 

Humans have always found loopholes through communal flaws. As of now, they certainly found one to challenge the notion of insufficient journalism.