Teens and the Conspiracy Theory Conundrum: The Impact of Social Media
A recent study conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has highlighted a concerning trend: teenagers are significantly more susceptible to believing online conspiracy theories than their older counterparts. This phenomenon, which underscores the far-reaching consequences of Generation Z's relationship with social media, has raised critical questions about misinformation, democracy, and the values underpinning society.
The CCDH's study, which surveyed over 1,000 adults and 1,000 teenagers aged 13-17, revealed that 60 percent of American teenagers in this age group agreed with four or more harmful conspiracy statements, compared to 49 percent of adults. Even more concerning, the figure surged to 69 percent for teenagers who spent four or more hours a day on a single social media platform.
Imran Ahmed, the CEO of CCDH, aptly pointed out that “There’s a prejudice towards believing that youth will save us from the ills created by the former generations, but when it comes to misinformation, there are no future generations to save us from the damage that we’ve caused… This should be a clarion call – very simply, if these young people hold these beliefs in future years of their life, our democracy and the values that underpin it are under an almost impossible strain.”
While the negative impact of social media on mental health is increasingly well-documented, the CCDH study has shed light on a more profound concern: the influence of social media extends beyond individual well-being. Social media is now so powerful that it can create public health issues for society as a whole. Misinformation and hate speech, propagated through these platforms, have emerged as significant challenges.
Younger generations are also increasingly turning to social media for news and information: platforms like TikTok and Instagram have gained a significant amount of traffic in this age group over traditional search engines like Google. This shift has been accelerated by the integration of AI-powered chatbots and search engines, such as ChatGPT, which have opened new avenues for disseminating information, both accurate and misleading.
“We’re just starting to see the beginnings of the intersection [of] AI and fake news, and conspiracy theories on social media will play a really big role in that,” said Ioana Literat, an associate professor of communication studying social media at Teachers College, Columbia University. “With the rise of AI, and how easy it is to create manipulated media using generative AI, I really worry that the statistics will increase.” This would simply inundate the information ecosystem with harmful content. The intersection of AI and fake news, coupled with the ease of creating manipulated media, raises fears of a future marred by a flood of deceptive information.
Despite this, however, the younger generation is acutely aware of the dangers posed by online media: 83 percent of teenagers between 13 and 17 years of age acknowledged that online harms have offline consequences. In contrast, only 68 percent of adults 18 and over shared this sentiment. “It’s really clear that the American public understand[s] that online harms have offline impact, and that the social media companies are in part responsible because of the way their algorithms work to amplify hate and disinformation,” Ahmed said. “This report puts the ball back in the court of legislators and says, ‘What are you going to do?’ because the people want change, and it’s clear they know why we need it.”
The CCDH's report presents a path to mitigate the growing risks associated with misinformation and conspiracy theories. Developed following a global summit on online harms in 2022, this framework, named the "STAR" framework for legislative reform, centers on four fundamental principles: Safety by Design, Transparency, Accountability, and Responsibility. A second survey revealed that 42 percent of respondents in the same control groups as the initial report supported this framework, with over 70 percent endorsing specific components, such as product transparency and safety by design.
The susceptibility of teenagers to online conspiracy theories is a pressing concern, accentuated by their extensive use of social media and the advent of generative AI. Ultimately, safeguarding the values of democracy and countering the spread of harmful conspiracy theories will require collective action from lawmakers, social media companies, and society as a whole. Will we rise to the occasion and erect the guardrails that will keep democracy on track, or are we doomed to watch its slow-motion collapse?
