Younger Generation Better At Separating News From Opinion

Those pesky kids with their smartphones don’t know the days of print newspapers separating the news pages from the opinion section. But they’re not necessarily the ones we have to worry about discerning news statements from opinions, according to a new analysis from the Pew Research Center.

Based on a survey Pew conducted in February and March, Americans ages 18–49 were more likely to accurately categorise factual statements as facts and opinion statements as opinions.

A third of that age range correctly identified all five news items in a test, compared to 20 percent of those over age 50, and 44 percent of the younger grouping correctly identified all opinion items, compared to 26 percent of their elders.

“Beyond digital savviness, the original study found that two other factors have a strong relationship with being able to correctly classify factual and opinion statements: having higher political awareness and more trust in the information from the national news media,” Pew researcher Jeffery Gottfried wrote.

“Despite the fact that younger adults tend to be less politically aware and trusting of the news media than their elders, they still performed better at this task.”

This corroborates the footnote of a recent American Press Institute study which found that only 43 percent of Americans thought it was easy to distinguish opinion from news on digital news sites and social media.

The API researchers found that 52 percent of adults under age 30 said it’s at least somewhat easy to tell them apart on social media, versus 34 percent of adults 60 and older: “The level of ease was about the same for younger adults across all media types.”

The study also noted that the young folk were understandably less familiar with print jargon like “op-ed” than the older adults.

A different recent Pew study found that while 57 percent of American social media users expected the news they encountered there to be “largely inaccurate,” younger social media news consumers were, unsurprisingly, more likely to say social media has “impacted their learning for the better” (48 percent of those age 18 to 29, compared to 28 percent of those age 50 to 64).

Op-eds have been playing a much larger role in the news cycle these days, with Trump’s anonymous underling writing in The New York Times and the president’s error-ridden contribution to USA Today.

Instead of fighting with terms that are quickly becoming arcane, there are a few options beyond cheering the fact that rising generations of news consumers understand the newspaper layout.

Nieman Lab:

You Might Also Read: 

New Tools To Fight Fake News:

 

« USA & China Named As Top Cyber-Attack Sources
Blockchain May Break Tech’s Hold On AI »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: What Is A Next-Generation Firewall (and why does it matter)?

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: What Is A Next-Generation Firewall (and why does it matter)?

Watch this webinar to hear security experts from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and SANS break down the myths and realities of what an NGFW is, how to use one, and what it can do for your security posture.

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO Technology

XYPRO is the market leader in HPE Non-Stop Security, Risk Management and Compliance.

BackupVault

BackupVault

BackupVault is a leading provider of automatic cloud backup and critical data protection against ransomware, insider attacks and hackers for businesses and organisations worldwide.

MIRACL

MIRACL

MIRACL provides the world’s only single step Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which can replace passwords on 100% of mobiles, desktops or even Smart TVs.

Cyber Security Supplier Directory

Cyber Security Supplier Directory

Our Supplier Directory lists 6,000+ specialist cyber security service providers in 128 countries worldwide. IS YOUR ORGANISATION LISTED?

NextPlane

NextPlane

NextPlane provide secure real-time B2B unified communication and collaboration solutions within and across business systems.

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

The Information Commissioner's Office is an independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest.

Davis Wright Tremaine (DWT)

Davis Wright Tremaine (DWT)

Davis Wright Tremaine is a full-service law firm with offices throughout the US and in Shanghai, China. Practice areas include Technology, Privacy & Security.

8MAN

8MAN

8MAN is a leading Access Rights Management (ARM) solution in Microsoft and virtual server environments.

Sigma Payment Solutions

Sigma Payment Solutions

Sigma Payment Solutions offers a comprehensive suite of automated payment processing services, solutions, and technology to businesses in the USA.

Chainalysis

Chainalysis

Chainalysis provides blockchain analysis software to prevent, detect and investigate cryptocurrency money laundering, fraud and compliance violations.

National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) - Malaysia

National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) - Malaysia

NACSA is the leading government agency in Malaysia responsible for the development and implementation of national cyber security management policie and strategies.

TeskaLabs

TeskaLabs

TeskaLabs is a software vendor of cybersecurity and data privacy products.

International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

International Accreditation Forum (IAF)

The IAF is the world association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies. Its primary function is to develop a single worldwide programme of conformity assessment.

MagicCube

MagicCube

MagicCube is a device independent IoT security platform that protects against on-device, cloud, and network attacks.

Fudo Security

Fudo Security

Fudo Security is a leading provider of privileged access management and privileged session monitoring solutions.

Armexa

Armexa

Armexa is a leading provider of advanced industrial cybersecurity solutions that protect your critical OT and ICS infrastructure against ever-changing threats.

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV)

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV)

Inflection Point Ventures (IPV) is a 6000+ members angel investing firm which supports new-age entrepreneurs by connecting them with a diverse group of investors.

Apono

Apono

Apono enables DevOps and security teams to manage access to sensitive cloud assets and data repositories in a frictionless and compliant way.

International Cyber Threat Task Force (ICTTF)

International Cyber Threat Task Force (ICTTF)

The International Cyber Threat Task Force is a not-for-profit initiative promoting the ecosystem of an International independent non-partisan cyber security community.

Hudson Rock

Hudson Rock

Hudson Rock’s products — Cavalier & Bayonet — are powered by our cybercrime database, composed of millions of machines compromised by Infostealers in global malware spreading campaigns.