IDMO reposted this
Four in ten members of Generation Z trust the ordinary person on the street—far less than Millennials (58%), Gen X (67%), and Baby Boomers (67%) (IPSOS Veracity Index 2024).This generation also shies away from long-form content, including fact checks. As one participant in a recent study remarked: "It was too long to read, so I didn’t even read all of it." Another added: "Sure, you can look on your own, but no one has time for that" (Practicing Information Sensibility: How Gen Z Engages with Online Information, n=35). Why does this matter? Young people often signal how society will evolve. Between 2012 and 2021, Gen Z’s early adoption of smartphones and social media paved the way for their widespread use across all age groups (2012 Reuters Digital News Report, 2016 Pew Research Center). To continue making an impact, we need to rethink media literacy and educational interventions. At the European Digital Media Observatory Fact-Checking Training Event last week, organized by Athens Technology Center, we got into all of this and more. Some of my highlights included: 1. Hearing firsthand from Funky Citizens about their live fact-checking during the recent presidential debates in Romania. 2. Learning how IDMO is leaning into multiple media sources to reach diverse audiences. 3. Exploring the challenges of fact-checking across Greece and Cyprus, shared by AFP. 4. Discovering the latest in tool development for journalists, by journalists. 5. Engaging discussions with Tommaso Canetta, Nikos Sarris, and Stephan Mündges on regulations, transparency, and the future of the field. Thank you to Spyridoula Markou, Christos Gavalas, and Danae Tsampouraki for the diverse perspectives and a fantastic event! For anyone working in media, technology, or education, these research findings and conversations are a gentle reminder of the shifts happening in how information is consumed and trusted.