Everyone Talks About the News

Young people are not falling behind in the buzz of news; we find our own ways to navigate it.

By INGRID IVERSEN (17) and RANAD ABU-FAJR (19)

What exactly are we, the youth, doing online? Is it merely nonsense, frivolity, and humor, or are we the generation that consumes the most information precisely because we are so connected?

Commissioned by the Tinius Trust, we spent the summer exploring the relationship between young multicultural individuals and today's media society and created a video about it. We asked 15 youths in Oslo about their favorite app, how they engage with news, and which media they feel provides them with the most news.

(Article continues below the video)

TikTok is the Favorite

'It's probably TikTok,' says Samuel (16) about his favorite app. This is the consensus among most of those we interviewed, followed by Snapchat and Instagram. No one mentioned Facebook. We received similar responses when asking which medium they first turned to for current news. The majority said watching VG on TikTok or Snapchat. 'Due to the algorithms of these various apps and how social media is customized for each individual, you receive media stories that are particularly appealing to you,' explains Juveria (20).

When we asked what news means to them, many responded that it's what is factual, something that is true. 'When I think of news, I imagine TV, a person standing at a desk reporting, "in Russia, this is happening…",' says Abdi (16). Some mentioned that news is 'cool things happening on the street', while others defined it as what's featured on NRK, VG, and Aftenposten.

Most agree that they catch the most important news, even though TikTok and Snapchat are their primary sources.

'Everyone discusses the news; it's a way humans communicate. Even my younger siblings, who are ten years old, talk about the news,' says Juveria (20).

'Yes, I catch up on major events like wars, but maybe not all the minor news,' says Joel (19). 'In Vg3 [a school grade], many read the news. I think it's just to pass time,' Suber (18) says with a smile.

It's important to note that these responses represent a random selection of opinions from young people we encounter on the street, and being put on the spot like that can be stressful. Nobody wants to come across as someone who doesn't care about anything. The study's aim was not to produce statistics but to gain insights into how multicultural youth receive and perceive news and information.

Unconventional Doesn't Mean Less Valuable

The fact that young people mostly get their news through unconventional means shouldn't be entirely alarming. We live in an era where newspapers and radio are considered something for grandparents. Hardly anyone engages with them anymore. However, one of the 15 individuals we spoke with actually listens to the radio.

We think it's easy to overlook that a significant portion of the youth get their news from these more unconventional media.

Among those we interviewed, VG was almost the only news source mentioned on apps like TikTok and Snapchat.

It's not that most young people sit on the subway listening to Politisk Kvarter or read online newspapers. Youth primarily use apps to chat with friends and maintain their social lives. Media that integrate into their daily routines are the ones that get attention. Suppose the news is seamlessly integrated into platforms like TikTok or Snapchat. In that case, it's absorbed subconsciously, becoming part of our algorithm, our rhythm.

'I don't think I consciously think about it because I automatically receive it all the time,' says Elise (16). Then you can go to school and not feel left out when someone might say, 'Yo, did you see what happened…' You've also caught up just by watching those 15 seconds of VG on Snapchat. This allows you to feel informed without being particularly invested in the news.

The fact that young people predominantly identify TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram as their primary sources of online information can be seen in a positive light.

We believe that the perception of youth, particularly those from multicultural backgrounds, as disengaged and less interested in news largely stems from what is traditionally recognized as news sources and what is not.

Civic engagement encompasses a variety of activities. It can involve discussing issues with adults, reading newspapers, or using Snapchat to watch 15-second intense slideshows to stay informed about current events. It's crucial that news is not only tailored for those with a keen interest but is also accessible to everyone, including those who may not actively seek it out.

Even though it might appear that we're just wasting time online, we don't believe it's as harmful as some suggest. Yes, we are the generation constantly on our phones, but that's precisely why we also catch quite a lot.

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About the Authors:

• Ingrid Iversen (17), from Bogerud in Oslo, is a student at Oslo Katedralskole. She heads the local branch of the Socialist Youth (SU) in South Oslo.
• Ranad Abu-Fajr (19), from St. Hanshaugen in Oslo, recently graduated from Blindern High School.