As social media becomes an increasingly dominant news source, especially for Gen-Z, digital journalists, influencers, and “infographic activism” accounts are among the first and most influential sources to inform social media users of breaking news and global issues.
Unconventional forms of digital journalism, such as social media posts, can remove institutional barriers and amplify diverse perspectives by providing tools for citizens and non-traditional journalists to join the conversation.
That said, many of the predominant voices, posts, and conversations on social media present an American perspective and focus primarily on American global, political, and social affairs.
I worry that this leads to Canadian youth missing or being apathetic to issues closer to home.
Our two countries’ close ties have long made American politics virtually inescapable for the average Canadian news consumer. The rise of social media as a news source, in combination with Bill C-18 and Meta’s resulting ban on content from news outlets for Canadian users, hasn’t helped this phenomenon.
In the early days of social media, users saw posts in their feeds mainly from accounts they followed or friended. Now, on algorithmically-driven platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, users are presented with a barrage of content from countless and sometimes unverifiable sources.
These sources are often American.
The 2024 American presidential election is a prime example of the way U.S. affairs can dominate social media news coverage in Canada. Before and after the November elections, TikToks, Instagram reels and stories, tweets, and infographics with information and updates about the presidential race circulated widely.
Canadians were highly invested in the election’s outcome, which fanned the social media flames even more. For me, a Canadian social media user, these posts were omnipresent.
Now, with a Canadian federal election approaching, I’ll be curious to see what coverage appears on my Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok feeds. I won’t be surprised if the frequency of posts I organically encounter is much smaller.
Beyond elections, there have been countless other times when U.S. news took over my social media feeds. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, my Instagram feed (where I mainly follow Canadian accounts) was flooded with posts about the ruling and abortion access in America. Some posts came from Canadians offering support in creative ways, while others shared information about the U.S. legal system.
It’s understandable for Canadians to express concern and solidarity for our Southern neighbours. However, I wondered if my and my Canadian followers’ attention could be more productively directed toward information about how to protect access to safe reproductive healthcare in our own country.
On a more concerning note, the influx of posts made me concerned about unintentional confusion or misinformation. Did everyone seeing those posts understand that the Supreme Court’s ruling does not directly affect abortion access in Canada? And that laws and access options differ in each country?
While it’s easy to blame algorithms or platforms for pushing U.S.-centric news posts, audiences also have a role to play. In the above cases, it’s encouraging to see people embrace digital journalism and leverage the participatory features of social media.
There is passion and interest, but the question is, how can we direct them toward uniquely Canadian concerns?