Welcome to Week 2 of the Headway Election Challenge!
In our conversations with hundreds of teens this year, one topic has come up again and again: the never-ending stream of information coming at us all, especially on social media. A report from Pew Research Center found that a third of teens use apps like YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook almost constantly. Whether it’s in a reel, podcast, post or snap, the information keeps coming.
This week, in collaboration with Chalkbeat, we’re asking teenagers:
How are you processing and sharing all this information about the election?
“I feel like social media is such a double-edged sword when it comes to involvement,” said Lavanya Mani, a 17-year-old senior at Clayton High School in St. Louis. Ms. Mani, who is on her school’s speech and debate team, works at the student newspaper, and is crocheting a bright blue laptop case, highlighted a tension central to a teenager’s online experience. “On the one hand, it’s amazing that anyone can produce content and share with the world about their views,” she said, “but it’s also kind of terrible at the same time, because you have people who are making content that’s sensationalized, that’s meant to get likes and angry comments.”
Vaishnavi Kumbala, a 17-year-old high school senior at Haynes Academy in Metairie, La., deals with the unrelenting flow of news and information by seeking more of it.
“One thing I try to do is I don’t just rely on one news outlet or source when I’m getting my information,” she said. “I make sure to read a few different sources. Read opinion pieces to try to get different perspectives on whatever the event or issue is. I can try to kind of form my own opinion.”
“Really understanding something, in a way, is kind of a community dialogue effort,” Ms. Kumbala added. “You may contribute something. Other people may contribute a perspective they have. And I feel like in the end, you end up with a more nuanced perspective.”
But, Ms. Mani concluded, “at some point, you have to put your phone down and be like, ‘What do I think about this issue? What are my opinions? What are my moral standings on this that lead me to a specific conclusion?’”
She continued, “Because if you don’t do that, you get a bunch of the exact same voices parroting something that we think is supposed to be right, which makes it kind of impossible to have meaningful discussions.”
That brings us to our question for Week 2.
Teens, how are you informing yourself and others about the 2024 presidential election?
Did you miss last week? Not sure where to start? Go back to Week 1 here.
If you’re not a teenager or a young first-time voter, you can stay in the loop by signing up for the Headway newsletter.
Please fill out this form only if you are 14 or older. If you are between the ages of 14 and 17, Headway will ask to get in touch with your parent or guardian before talking with you further. If you have any questions, email [email protected].
The post Teens, How Are You Informing Yourself and Others About the Election? appeared first on New York Times.
