My Top 5 Sources of Information

 

My main source of current events, news, and other important information is TikTok. The platform helps me stay up to date on current trends while also allowing me to grow my brand as well as my portfolio as someone interested in the Social Media field. Now, as a Strategic Communications major, I understand how TikTok works and how it pushes out specific videos/content to show its viewers the videos they want to see. This helps me understand that my "news" is most of the time biased toward what I like or what I spend my time watching. With my interest in the legal field, I also find myself engaging with legal as well as political content, which has helped me stay informed about current events and issues related to the law.

Similar to TikTok, Instagram is a platform I use daily. This app allows me to stay more up to date on what my friends from home have been doing, while also giving me more opportunities to see different and sometimes less personalized perspectives on the news. Unlike TikTok, where the algorithm often pushes content based on what it thinks I will enjoy, Instagram requires me to actively search for news and information. This allows me to come across different points of view and create my own opinions. I also enjoy the way Instagram is formatted, especially the descriptions included with each post. When a news organization posts about a current event, the description will often provide a summary of the story and explain what is happening. As someone interested in law and Strategic Communications, I find this helpful because it allows me to quickly understand different perspectives on legal and current events. 

When it comes to ChatGPT, my use of the platform is a little different. There is no algorithm constantly pushing out posts or information that it thinks I will like. However, ChatGPT is still an artificial intelligence tool that has been programmed to provide information based on the data and sources it has access to. When it comes to learning about current events and issues happening in our country, I use ChatGPT as a tool to help me find the facts and understand different perspectives. I think "unbiased" is a tricky word to use when discussing almost anything in today's world, but I feel that, with the right amount of digging and research, ChatGPT can do a good job of helping me stay up to date with current events.

 Next is my mom. My mom and I have very similar interests when it comes to current events and the world around us, although our interests differ in some ways. She is more interested in the corporate and business side of America, while I am more interested in politics and law. Since retiring, my mom has had more time to research topics related to her values and beliefs, especially when it comes to the news and information presented to the public by the government and media. Being able to have conversations with her and hear a different perspective on current events is something I truly value. I appreciate that we can discuss different viewpoints and challenge each other's ideas, which has helped me become more open-minded when it comes to looking at different types of "news."

Lastly, my favorite podcast is called Unbiased Politics with Jordan Berman. Jordan discusses current political issues and events while presenting different perspectives and encouraging listeners to look beyond political biases. I really appreciate her message and what she promotes because I believe it is important, especially for my generation, to take the time to understand the news from multiple points of view. As someone interested in law and politics, I think hearing both sides of an issue is especially important because it allows me to form my own opinions based on the information rather than simply accepting one perspective.