INTRODUCTION
In the United States, democracy depends on the democracy that allows citizens to vote for their preferred government, exemplified by the USA’s representative democracy, where officials are elected to represent the people’s ideas and needs. Participation extends beyond voting, as Americans can also communicate with elected officials to voice opinions and advocate for changes, ensuring they have a role in governance.
THE PROBLEM. SURVEY RESULTS
The main problem is that young people think that everything they see on social media is true. Inaccurate news can pose a threat to democracy because they misinform citizens, foster polarization and erode trust institutions. This makes manipulation possible.
On the other hand, according to some studies, social media and news have an influence on our opinions, and most Americans get news on social media today.
To check what other people think about this, we have conducted a survey to analyse what young people think about this. According to the survey, 75% of people believe that social networks inform young people with information that is not true in many cases.
The results also show that young people usually watch memes or humorous content and that social media platforms do neither help nor harm young people. Others believe that social media might help somewhat, but it is clear that social media strongly influences young people’s political opinions.
As a result, we believe that young people can be attracted to these issues through social media. That is the reason why we would like to propose some ideas to raise awareness of democratic problems:
In the first place, we find TikTok a good way to inform people or catch their attention in a positive way if they are used with good intentions, especially if they are humourous, as they survey results show. In the QR codes you can watch the videos we have recorded. Moreover, many people prefer to watch other media or read, so we have also designed infographics to give our personal recommendations.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, people who are the same age as us may not be really interested in this topic. That is why these topics could be closer to them if they are addressed on the media they like and often watch.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (s. f.). Government and you handouts [PDF]. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS PDF
Wang, L. and Forman-Katz, N.(2024, February 7). «Many Americans find value in getting news on social media, but concerns about inaccuracy have risen.» Pew Research Centre. Original article.
Protect Democracy. (s. f.). How does Gen Z really feel about democracy? Original article.
Authors:
Alberto Alcalá Jiménez
Nayara Nieto Montoya
Marina García Floriano
Claudia Sandoval Sánchez