Gen Z branded as the 'most gullible generation' after new analysis of media habits
A recent Politico article made a case for the idea, pointing to a video capturing voter fraud in Russia – which many American Gen Zers believed to instead showcase voter fraud in the U.S.
"When researchers from Stanford studying young people's media literacy — the ability to accurately evaluate information in the wilds of mass media — showed the video to 3,446 high school students, only three succeeded in identifying the Russian connection," the article read in part.
Gen Z Branded As 'The Ghosted Generation' As Dates, Colleges And Employers Keep Saying 'No'
While painting the picture, author Catherine Kim highlighted a notable irony – the Internet-raised, phone-dependent and tech-savvy Gen Z is somehow the least equipped to decipher fact from fiction in the online world.
Yet, at the same time, the piece highlights a concerning reality that the lion's share of America's youngest voting bloc gets their news from social media.
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In particular, an analysis by Morning Consult found that "roughly three in five Gen Z (63%) say they turn to social media at least once a week for news, a much higher share than traditional distribution methods like broadcast news (27%) or cable news (30%)."
Add the rise of artificial intelligence, an abundance of false claims, satire and other sources to further muddy the waters and Gen Z's source of news isn't so reliable after all.
Opinion: Gen Z Is Shaping Itself Into The 'Wasted Generation'
Kim argues that such findings have led the group down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, leading them to question institutions of power and shun traditional media.
"There's a dangerous feedback loop at play…" she writes.
"It's the kind of media consumption that differs drastically from older generations who spend far more time with mainstream media, and the consequences can be grim."
Gen Z Happiness Is Most Driven By One Surprising Thing, Gallup Poll Finds
Adding to the critique of Gen Z's vetting methods and their media consumption, Kim says the age group simply looks at the comments section to see if the information checks out, immerses themselves in narrow online communities where they might hear about health trends that have no basis in science, or they might hear a conspiracy theory questioning a current event that could sway public perception.
At the same time, she says the issue isn't isolated to one political party, specifically writing, "President Donald Trump's fans and haters are both just as likely to fall for fake information that already conforms to their worldview."
Gen Z now wears many hats – the loneliest generation, the most tech-savvy generation, the "ghosted generation," even – a badge earned because of the string of rejections they face while looking for jobs, partners or their ideal college.
Ultimately, Gen Z has access to more information at their fingertips than any generation before, and navigating it wisely remains a challenge.Original article source: Gen Z branded as the 'most gullible generation' after new analysis of media habits
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Chicago Tribune
23 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Venezuela releases 10 jailed Americans in deal that frees migrants deported to El Salvador by US
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Boston Globe
23 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Prisoner swap frees Americans in Venezuela for migrants held in El Salvador
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UPI
24 minutes ago
- UPI
Migrants in El Salvador prison swapped for Americans held in Venezuela
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem toured the Terrorist Confinement Center CECOT with El Salvador's minister of Justice and Public Security Gustavo Villatoro in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 26. File Photo by Tia Dufour/U.S. Department of Homeland Security | License Photo July 18 (UPI) -- About 250 Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador's maximum-security prison in March have been sent to Venezuela as part of a prisoner swap that included Americans on Friday. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rucio posted on X: "Thanks for @Potus' leadership, ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela are on their way to freedom." El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele 10 minutes earlier posted on X: "Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua. As was offered to the Venezuelan regime back in April, we carried out this exchange in return for a considerable number of Venezuelan political prisoners, people that regime had kept in its prisons for years, as well as all the American citizens it was holding as hostages." The post included video of deportees boarding a plane. Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA). Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes. As was offered to the Venezuelan... Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) July 18, 2025 "These individuals are now en route to El Salvador, where they will make a brief stop before continuing their journey home," Bukele said. The freed Americans include former Navy SEAL Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, who was detained last year while on personnel travel, three sources told CBS News. "We have prayed for this day for almost a year. My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by the Maduro regime," Castaneda's family said in a statement. He had suffered several traumatic brain injuries during his 18 years in the Navy and his decision-making was affected, his family said. The State Department warned Americans not to travel to Venezuela. The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela posted a photo of the freed Americans and U.S. diplomat John McNamara. Nothing says freedom like the American flag. Ten Americans freed from Venezuelan prisons today are coming home because of @POTUS, @SecRubio & @nayibbukele. America First in action. Embajada de los Venezuela (@usembassyve) July 18, 2025 The Venezuelan government also released several dozen people described as Venezuelan political prisoners and detainees, a senior administration official told CBS News. The flight, which originated from Texas, included several children, Diosdado Cabello, Venezuela's minister of Interior, Justice and Peace, said in televised remarks. "We will keep demanding the return of all the Venezuelans kidnapped by the government of the United States, kidnapped by the government of El Salvador," he said. "All of them, we demand that they return them to our country. To their home country." Family members told CNN they had been told to gather for an emergency meeting in Venezuela ahead of the release. The Trump administration made a deal with Bukele to send the deported migrants to CECOT prison as part of a $6 million deal. Bukele said there were "months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages. "However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved." Rubio also congratulated those involved in the negotiations: "I want to thank my team at the @StateDept & especially President @nayibbukele for helping secure an agreement for the release of all of our American detainees, plus the release of Venezuelan political prisoners." In March, the CECOT detainees were sent under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is rarely deployed and used typically during wartime. The Trump administration declared Trend de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, an invading force. Family members have said the detainees were denied due process and are not members of the gang. Kilmer Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man living legally in the United States, was mistakenly deported from Baltimore to the prison without due process. The Trump administration acknowledged the mistake in a legal filing though they still allege he is a member of the MS-13 gang. He was initially at the prison but went to another one in the county. In April, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the U.S. He was sent in June to face federal smuggling charges in Tennesse, which he denies.
