An article by Dr. Sascha Hölig and Leonie Wunderlich highlights the role of social media regarding the use of news in an anthology on journalism and Instagram.
Abstract
Social media have become an important resource for news content to be noticed. The consequences of this are assessed very differently, ranging from isolation in echo chambers, which pose a danger to democracy, to the possibility of being able to perceive significantly more diverse content, including numerous participation options, which in turn is seen as beneficial to a functioning democratic society. This article shows that a blanket view of news users in social media is misplaced. If opportunities and risks are to be assessed, a distinction must be made, especially for news providers, as to whether social media represent a supplementary, the most important or even the only source of news.
Hölig, S., & Wunderlich, L. (2022): Instagram statt Tagesschau? Die Rolle Sozialer Medien in der Nachrichtennutzung. Über Chancen und Risiken [Instagram instead of Tagesschau? The Role of Social Media in News Usage. On Opportunities and Risks]. In: J. Schützeneder & M. Graßl (eds.), Journalismus und Instagram: Analysen, Strategien, Perspektiven aus Wissenschaft und Praxis [Journalism and Instagram: Analyses, Strategies, Perspectives from Science and Practice], pp. 29-44. Springer Fachmedien. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-34603-4_3
