News in the world of Gen Alpha
Finding out the truth in the world of fake news and deepfakes can be like finding a needle in a haystack. So imagine how overwhelming this feels for Gen Alpha.
From news to fake news to viral (and often controversial) influencers, kids are engaged. But do they know whom to trust? And how do they digest news, navigate noisy headlines and deal with misinformation?
Our Beano Brain Review: Gaming, News, and Culture has the answers.
Familiarity
If the news is about someone or something that feels familiar to them, Gen Alpha will notice. More than that, they will talk about it. News can become conversation topics at the dinner table and social media chat, and the personal attachment is key.
I woke up and the first think I saw online was Matthew Perry died; I had to Google it because I couldn't believe it. People on TikTok were reading his book " – Gabi, 12
Impact
When news impacts Gen Alpha directly, the interest spikes, and this happens globally. When storms hit and they impact the kids’ routine, for example, they not only pay attention, but also talk about it.
“The Ice Storm was just so awful. We were off school for a week, we had no power, trees had fallen and taken down power lines, pipes in schools and homes had burst, buildings had collapsed. We have another school now merged with ours because theirs was destroyed.” – Evie, 14
The Unavoidable
Lastly, there’s a category of its own, the unavoidable news. The headlines that reach the kids regardless of their interest. This is often the category most difficult for kids and teens to analyse fully because it’s the category with the most comment, the most conspiracy theories and the most “fake” news. Getting to the “truth” or even knowing there is a truth based on facts is supremely difficult for a young audience
I heard Donald Trump got shot in the ear, some people think it was fake. It was all over YouTube and also on the news, I was sleeping at my aunt’s house and she put the news on, so we saw it.” – Emma, 9
"Have you heard about all the things about P Daddy (sic), Beyonce and Jay Z? P Daddy killed (Lisa) Left Eye (Lopez) and Aaliyah and Michael Jackson. And Beyonce and Jay Z all had a massive plan to keep Beyonce on top. There was a tunnel leading to Michael Jackson's house. And Adele split her Grammy in half for Beyonce. P Daddy(sic) has been arrested for killing people. I don't necessarily believe them but that's all the theories going around. And the videos all have that song - "She Knows!" about Beyonce. I think I still like her music. It might not all be true” – Rose, 12
To learn more on what Gen Alpha trust and how they’re engaging with the news, download our Beano Brain Review: Gaming, News, and Culture and sign up to the latest insights on Gen Alpha: