With a rise in misinformation, especially due to the developments in artificial intelligence, it is difficult to determine what news is reliable. As avid consumers of news, it is important to be thoughtful when considering what sources you use to get your information.
According to the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), at the University of Chicago, roughly 75% of Americans check the news daily. This is done through different outlets, including reading newspapers, listening to the radio, watching television and using different online platforms.
Moreover, in the wake of the digital age, more than eight in 10 Americans get their news from digital media outlets, with 60% preferring a smartphone, tablet or computer to other forms of news according to a Pew Research study. This is exacerbated for teens, as we are constantly on our phones and use social media.
During an election year, keeping up with the news is more important, but also more difficult, considering the use of misinformation by politicians. With more polarization between political parties, people tend to only follow news sources that are associated with their own political views. Though all news sources carry some biases, there are those that tend to stay more central on the political spectrum and are trusted by people from varying political parties.
YouGov, a British International market research company, recently did a survey on “Trust in Media in 2024: Which news sources Americans trust – and which they think lean left or right.” The survey asked respondents to rate how unbiased each news outlet was. Aside from the Weather Channel, the top three most trusted sources were the BBC, PBS and The Wall Street Journal. The survey also showed that younger Americans are more likely to trust news from social media than adults.
Social media can be a useful outlet for news, but it is also not nearly as regulated and fact-checked as other types of news sources. Therefore, especially for younger generations who tend to rely on it more, extra care and attention must be given when determining the credibility of its information.
Additionally, the best way to ensure that you have a full, reliable picture of what is going on is to look at multiple sources. This allows you to verify information and truly understand what is fact versus opinion. If information is consistent across multiple platforms, there is a good chance that it is trustworthy.
It is also helpful to assess the credibility of sources you are using. The most reliable sources, especially websites, will tell you where they are obtaining its information as well as the specific date it was collected. Many sources contain statements about the outlet’s ethics policies along with data about how it addresses mistakes and inaccurate information.
If a source is trustworthy, it should have information about its writers, editors and reporters. Investigating them and verifying their professional backgrounds can help paint a fuller picture of the kind of people who contribute to the source and ensure that they are knowledgeable about the given topic.
When you think you have a reliable source, it is often useful to compare the information you are getting with the information other people have. Having civil discussions, even about topics that are controversial, can help you assess if you and your discussion mate have a full, unbiased view of what’s going on. Consulting with teachers, parents and other trusted adults is also a helpful way to discern whether or not you are on the right track to finding reliable news sources.
Ultimately, all sources have some bias. The goal is to recognize that bias and understand what is true and what is made up. There are many different ways to find reliable sources but it is most important to trust your gut.