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During election season, staying informed and prepared for when voting arrives is undeniably important. With technology and especially social media, this task has become more convenient than ever.
However, social media also creates the potential for spending too much time on the internet and not enough time enjoying real life. I think it’s important, especially right now, for young adults to be aware and practice finding the balance in staying informed while remaining in touch with reality.
The Pew Research Center found that as of Aug. 2024, 86% of adults in the U.S. claim to use technology, such as their phones and tablets, at least sometimes to stay updated on the news. The data shows an increased reliance on mobile technology for news instead of other methods such as television or radio.
Pew’s survey also revealed that 54% of adults in the U.S. claim to use social media at least sometimes to find news. This includes sites and apps such as Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and TikTok, with 39% of adults under 30 claiming to get their news regularly from TikTok. These numbers have continued to increase, as shown by the results found in 2020.
These statistics demonstrate how reliant young adults are on the internet to provide information on what is happening in the world around them. While adults in the U.S. already spend a lot of time on technology, these numbers are potentially amplified in an attempt to stay up to date on the news during the election.
Although “touch grass” is generational slang often used to call people out on not being in touch with real life, I think it is accurate for what we all need to focus on.
There is such a thing as being overinformed, and with so many outlets to receive information, it can become overwhelming and hard to sort through what is true and what is fake news.
From celebrities promoting their political biases to partisan news stories being spread throughout social media, it becomes evident that some news is spread solely to cause conflict.
Therefore, I implore everyone to put their phones down and take a break from the internet—touch grass. If we want to remain accurately informed and able to form our views on current events, then we need to give ourselves time to reset our minds without the influence of the internet’s nonstop voices.
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