GSAN: Gen Z knows journalism? | USAID rumor

Feb. 11, 2025
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Gen Z knows journalism? | USAID rumor

Top picks

Reader, this section highlights the latest news literacy topics and ways for you to engage with the kids in your life.

An illustration of a young person sitting on the ground next to a canned drink, scrolling through a device and wearing headphones.

As the way we consume media changes, so does journalism. Illustration credit: Shutterstock.

1. Gen Z journalist says her peers don’t know what her job is

Is a journalist someone who … journals? No, not quite, but that was what a 22-year-old race car driver guessed when chatting with Olivia Hicks, a sports reporter who covers Formula One racing. Hicks wrote in this column, “Gen Z’s misunderstanding of journalism is a nationwide — if not global — epidemic.” She claims her Generation Z peers don’t always know what a journalist is and are increasingly relying on influencers and celebrities to try to get news.

Hicks observed that “there are more people ‘reporting’ than ever before,” and it’s transforming sports journalism. As there’s more media access granted to podcasters and content creators, Hicks said sports publications are killing negative stories in fear of having press credentials revoked, and reporters are accepting gifts from sports teams — a violation of journalism ethics.

Engage:

Discuss this issue with the sports lovers in your life. Why is it a problem if a sports journalist works for a team in a league it covers? Why should sports journalists refrain from clapping or showing rooting interest while on press row?

Parents:

Are your kids struggling to define what a journalist is? Ask them to keep a news diary with you using these pages. Commit to getting news from a credible, standards-based news organization and use the second page to evaluate your news source.

★ Tool for the talk:

An illustration of a press pass in front of a notebook that says “Seven Standards of Quality Journalism” at the top of the page.

Infographic: “Seven standards of quality journalism”

“2/3 of digital content creators do not check their facts before sharing, but want to learn how to do so” (UNESCO).

2. AI-generated e-books appear in libraries

“AI slop,” or low-quality, AI-generated content, is making its way into public library catalogs through e-book platforms like Hoopla and OverDrive. The trend raises concerns about patrons unwittingly accessing low-quality, unedited and inaccurate books, but librarians interviewed by 404 Media said they don’t think AI-generated books should be banned outright. However, they do call for labels on AI-generated books, since busy public librarians don't have the time to vet every book themselves.

Engage:

Discuss this topic with the teens in your life. Do you think most people assume that the nonfiction texts they access through their local library are credible? How can you distinguish between an AI-generated book and a human-written book? What are some potential drawbacks to nonfiction texts “authored” by AI? Should e-book platforms clearly label AI-generated texts? Why or why not?

★ Tool for the talk:

The silhouette of the side of a person’s face in the background of the words “6 things to know about AI.

Infographic: “6 things to know about AI”

“Deepfake videos are getting shockingly good” (TechCrunch).
“Google’s AI Super Bowl ad is wrong about cheese” (The Verge).

3. Why some marginalized people don’t read mainstream news

BBC News is the most widely used news source in the United Kingdom, but some marginalized Brits say they don’t trust it. In fact, some consider the BBC to be “an arm of the state” that is “talking at them, rather than to or for them,” according to a recent study on marginalized people’s views of the BBC. Most participants in the study were young adults in Wales of Asian or Arab descent. The study found that while the participants were disengaged with the BBC, they were still engaged with the news, turning to alternative sources like Al Jazeera or social media in an attempt to stay informed. This study was conducted by the BBC, which partnered with researchers, following longtime criticism of the BCC — including allegations of bias and a lack of newsroom diversity. When asked for suggestions on ways the BBC could rebuild trust, some participants suggested increasing the number of BBC journalists who live in the communities they cover.

Engage:

Discuss this issue with young people in your life. Why might some marginalized people see journalism as “a form of oppression”? How does lack of newsroom diversity impact news coverage and marginalized groups? How could news organizations earn trust?

★ Tool for the talk:

Infographic: “In brief: News media bias”

“Unapologetically Inclusive: How PublicSource made community-centered journalism a newsroom-wide effort” (American Press Institute).

No, USAID doesn’t provide $8 million annually to fund Politico

Three social media posts read, “So let me get this straight… USAID has been spending millions of taxpayer dollars every year funding not only the BBC, but also Politico?” and “Fun Fact: @Politico received USAID funds” and
“Elon ascertained that Politico receives about $8 million annually to spread liberal propaganda. He halted the funding, resulting in Politico missing their payroll. As a result, none of their personnel received
payment today.” Also included are screenshots from a government spending website that lists $8.1 million for Politico, LLC. The News Literacy Project has added a label that says “FALSE.”

❌ NO: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) does not provide Politico with $8 million in grant money a year.

✅ YES: The viral screenshots show the amount of money various government agencies have paid Politico for subscriptions to its specialty publications.

✅ YES: USAID paid $44,000 over two years for two subscriptions to Politico’s E&E News, its energy and environment publication.

✅ YES: In February 2025, as the Trump administration started making cuts to USAID, other false claims spread.

★ NewsLit takeaway

False claims often go viral when they are accompanied by something that feels like evidence, such as a screenshot from a government website. The images showing that Politico has received more than $8 million from various government agencies over the last decade are authentic, for example, but they are being mischaracterized in sensational social media posts. Here are some tips for finding additional context:

Be patient: When a claim starts trending on social media, expect to see uninformed hot takes that attempt to politicize, exaggerate or mischaracterize the situation. Good reporting takes time and waiting for standards-based news outlets to check the facts is a good way to stay informed.

Know what you don’t know: If viral news spreads about an unfamiliar topic – perhaps the inner workings of USAID – it’s important to search for additional context. Look for news stories published prior to current events to get a balanced perspective.

Balance Sources: Make a regular habit of getting news from a variety of sources. Doing a web search and reading different perspectives on an issue is a good way to avoid being misled.

No, Trump administration didn’t alter U.S. flag on government websites

Two social media posts read, “Why is there a 9 star flag on our government websites?! Is this a confederate flag??” and “Snip from the Department of Justice website. Trump is so respectful of the United States he allows his henchmen to change the flag on websites. Shame on all who voted for him - shame.” Both include screenshots from government websites that feature
an American flag with nine stars. The News Literacy Project has added a label that says “FALSE.”

❌ NO: President Donald Trump did not alter the flags on government websites to reference the Confederacy.

✅ YES: Government websites have featured an American flag icon with only nine stars in their banners since at least 2021.

✅ YES: These icons use fewer than 50 stars because of their small size.

★ NewsLit takeaway

When social media content elicits an immediate and strong emotional reaction – such as claims that the American flag was unilaterally altered by a new president to represent the Confederacy – it is important to slow down to carefully examine the claim. Here are a few steps to check this viral rumor:

Consider the source: Is this claim being spread by reputable sources?
Look into the basic claim: Visit government websites to see if they truly feature a flag with nine stars. In this case, many do.
Evaluate the specifics: The viral rumor claims that this is a “new” change. Use a web archive tool to see if this flag was present in previous years.
Check credible sources: Do a web search to see if any standards-based news outlets have covered this claim. In this case, the fact-check website Lead Stories reviewed this claim and found this flag on government websites since at least 2021.

Kickers (Journalism slang). Definition: The ending of a story or news report, often intended to leave
a lasting impression.

	Knowledge is power, and the founder of Bellingcat — an independent investigative collective of researchers, investigators and citizen journalists — says young people can empower themselves by using open-source investigation skills, or the analysis of openly available data, to verify what they see online.
	A Salvadoran restaurant in New Jersey lost the bulk of its business after a viral TikTok video falsely claimed that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had raided a second location and arrested customers. The restaurant owner said “people to be more aware of what’s actually happened before they believe TikTok and Instagram.”
	Student journalists at the University of Texas at Dallas went on strike and started a new publication after the editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper was removed from his role. Students say the editor was censored following coverage of a campus protest over the Israel-Hamas war, but university officials say it was for violating student media bylaws.
	The Los Angeles Times reportedly edited an op-ed that was intended to be critical of Health Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. so that it sounded favorable toward him. The piece was published after LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong signaled support for Kennedy’s nomination, raising concerns about editorial independence at the legacy newspaper.
	Pausing or ending U.S. foreign aid may put small publications around the world in jeopardy — including local newspapers at the front line of the Russia-Ukraine war that provide critical crisis information.
	Amid a widespread housing crisis, homelessness is an important beat for news outlets but poses unique challenges for journalists. ProPublica shares how it approaches news coverage of the unhoused population, whether it’s considering the use of a person’s “street name” and what to do if a source asks for help.
	In 1971, Cloves Campbell was the only Black state senator in the Arizona legislature, and he had a difficult time finding a news source that covered Black communities adequately — so he bought The Arizona Informant newspaper. Over 50 years later, the paper continues to be published by his family and serves as a voice for Black Arizonans.

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Your weekly issue of Get Smart About News is created by Susan Minichiello (@susanmini.bsky.social), Dan Evon (@danieljevon), Peter Adams (@peteradams.bsky.social), Hannah Covington (@hannahcov.bsky.social) and Pamela Brunskill (@PamelaBrunskill). It is edited by Mary Kane (@mk6325.bsky.social) and Lourdes Venard (@lourdesvenard.bsky.social).

For more tips on talking with kids about news literacy, take a look back at previous Get Smart About News issues in the archives.

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The News Literacy Project, a nonpartisan education nonprofit founded in 2008, is building a national movement to create systemic change in American education to ensure all students are skilled in news literacy before they graduate high school, giving them the knowledge and ability to participate in civic society as well-informed, critical thinkers.

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