Is the way we consume news detrimental to our health?
The way we consume news has been profoundly altered by media developments. The increase of online news, particularly when presented via social- media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram ( see main story) has affected how we access and consume our news.
When news was delivered via traditional oneway outlets such as television and radio, we were passive receivers. But on social- media platforms, we’re active consumers. We sculpt and cultivate our news through immediate feedback, such as reacts or shares.
There’s evidence this might not be especially good for us.
Amid an unfolding crisis such as a pandemic, news presented via one-way outlets might be less damaging than news consumed online. In early months of Covid-19, researchers found news consumed online and via social media was associated with increased depression, anxiety and stress. The effects weren’t as bad when news was consumed via traditional media such as television and newspapers.
This isn’t limited to the pandemic. After the September 11 attacks, young people who consumed news via online sources experienced more PTSD symptoms than those using traditional media. This effect was attributed to more graphic images online, and the possibility for extra exposure as people could watch the footage repeatedly. Multiple studies have found the more we consume news during or after a tragedy, crisis or natural disaster, the more likely we are to develop symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD).
How then can we take control of our news consumption? First, it’s important to be aware your news consumption via different sources can look very different. Traditional media tends to focus on the facts, whereas stories, rumors, and human interest pieces are prioritized on social media.
Empower yourself with the knowledge that, as humans, we are subject to bias. The media and those producing the news know this. These biases, which make us wonderfully human, also make us wonderfully biased to the information we receive.
Our biases mean we’re more likely to be impacted by negative news and more likely to believe what we see is more prevalent than it truly is.
That’s certainly not to say no news is good news. News is powerful, and helps us stay connected and informed. But in a world where we’re surrounded by news 24/ 7, it is important we are aware of our cognitive biases and the distortions they create. Let’s take control of our news consumption rather than allowing it to control us.