Finding news from different sources can bring with it the debate of whether or not it is a reliable source.

“I feel like knowing current events is important, but you shouldn’t just focus on the news,” junior Annabelle Smith said. “Seeing a lot of social media news, and taking a lot of it in can be very overwhelming for me.”

Young people find the news to add stress to their daily 

“I get news from word of mouth, finding out through Twitter, and sometimes if my parents have the news on in the background,” sophomore Dawson Schmidt said.

Students use a variety of sources to find news and become informed about the world around them.

“Whenever I watch the actual news on TV, we usually watch KAKE or Good Morning America,” sophomore Claire Brown said.

While watching the news on television is more of the classic way to go, finding news on social media can be convenient for many.

“I definitely do more research after I see something on Instagram,” sophomore Claire Brown said. “I think that you always have to do your own research no matter where your news is coming from.”

Social media news outlets use networking and methods to gain views and inform users. 

According to Pew Research Center, social media news outlets use networking methods to gain views and inform users. See the attached infographic for more information.

“Social media is definitely more colorful, trying to aim towards a younger clientele,” Brown said. “It’s a really easy way to get news spread and important messages to teens because not a lot of them watch the actual news.”

Ultimately, the way viewers see the news is from their own perspective.

“My parents usually have KWCH on the TV at home for us to watch,” Schmidt said.

The news can be damaging to teens’ mental health and cause them more stress in the long run.

“I honestly try to stay away from watching the news at all,” junior Annabelle Smith said. “I feel like it takes a serious toll on my mental health to constantly try and follow the news.”