Media Alert!
April 2025
Blog #65
Sue Summers
MediaSavvyKids.org
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)
“Fact vs. Opinion”
Can today’s teens discern the difference between facts and opinions?
“Teens today are not only getting the majority of their news online, but they are turning away from traditional media organizations to find out about current events on social media sites and YouTube, often from online influencers and celebrities, according to a new poll by Common Sense and SurveyMonkey.
The survey found that more than half of teens (54%) get news at least a few times a week from social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and 50% get news from YouTube…
Of those teens who get their news from YouTube, for example, six in 10 say they are more likely to get it from celebrities, influencers, and personalities rather than from news organizations utilizing the platform.” (www.commonsensemedia.org)
Further, according to a Pew Research survey from 2024, about 4 in 10 young adults now regularly use TikTok as their news source. (www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/17/more-americans-regularly-get-news-on-tiktok-especially-young-adults)
With the advent and popularity of podcasts, and the low threshold of entry, podcasters can speak anything they wish with only their own sensibilities as moderators. Nonetheless, an online survey conducted by Statista found that over the past three years, a consistent third of 18–29 year-olds use podcasts as their news source. (www.statista.com/statistics/1124291/us-podcast-news-consumption-generation)
“Ninety-five percent of teens have access to a smartphone” (disturbmenot.co/cell-phone-addiction-statistics). The immediacy of information – whether accurate or not – stimulates the spread. Teens read, hear, or view something and believe it to be true, especially if it has “gone viral.”
In traditional news organizations, some have allowed – or perhaps encouraged – the reporter’s point of view (POV) to bias his news reports, resulting in prejudicial word choice and selection of stories which color the overall impact on viewers.
But why does it matter whether the information we receive is opinion or fact?
Politics, for example, is truly a blend of facts and opinions. “A spin doctor is a person, such as a political aide, responsible for ensuring that others interpret an event from a particular point of view” (www.merriam-webster.com). Political campaigns and policy influencers create ads that are saturated with opinions or exaggerated details.
“A fact is an objective piece of information that can be proven true or false. It can be verified with more than one piece of reliable evidence. Unlike facts, opinions can’t be verified. Anyone can have any opinion about anything because it doesn’t need to be based in reality.” (www.yourdictionary.com)
We need to develop a “hierarchy of believability” that allows us to trust some sources, while dismissing others as unreliable. Most adults have done this unwittingly through years of experience. For example, we recognize that stories in tabloid newspapers are not as believable as those found in recognized local or national newspapers. Some TV offerings on “news stations” are not meant to be “hard news”, but are opinion programs, such as “The Five” on Fox News.
Critical thinkers do not treat all messages as fact but choose to develop a smorgasbord of credible sources, seeking a consensus of truth. They have the skills and ability to give more confidence to some sources than to others.
So how can we help teens become media-savvy about the culture that surrounds them?
The sum total of all media messages both reflects and shapes the current culture – its thinking and opinions. It requires effort and intentionality to select, interpret, and evaluate the information we receive – all necessary skills to develop the discernment needed to recognize the crucial difference between facts and opinions.
Here are some discussion starters to encourage this discernment in teens:
• Share two statements:
(1) A fact: The solar system is made up of many planets and stars.
(2) An opinion: Jupiter is the most interesting planet.
Have teens give examples of facts and opinions to determine if they understand the difference.
• Read each of these statements and ask teens to identify whether it is a fact or an opinion:
- Chocolate is the healthiest kind of candy.
- Women were given the right to vote in 1920.
- Dogs make the best pets.
- Most children prefer M&Ms over Starburst.
- Mars is referred to as the “red planet”.
- Subway is largest food chain in America… with more stores than McDonald’s or Starbucks.
- The most populated city in the world is Tokyo in Japan.
- The friendliest city is San Antonio in Texas.
• Ask, “How would you define discernment?” Then have someone look up and share the definition. Discuss how we can become discerning.
• Discuss this statement, “We all need discernment to interact with the world around us and make meaningful and appropriate choices in our lives.”
• Share this scripture:
“I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments.” (Colossians 2:4, NLT)
Do you think Paul is describing discernment? Why or why not? Discuss what this means and give some examples of “well-crafted arguments”.
Note: Share this blog with your church’s youth pastor as a lesson for youth group gatherings.
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Sue Summers is a Christian media analyst, teacher, author, and speaker.
She is the Director of Media Alert!
Contact Info:
Blogs: MediaSavvyKids.org
Website: http://www.MediaAlert.org
Email: Sue@MediaAlert.org
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