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College Students Favor TikTok Over Traditional News in 2025

Source: Why college students prefer News Daddy over The New York Times (2025-11-25)

Despite awareness of misinformation, college students increasingly turn to TikTok and Instagram for news, prioritizing quick, engaging content over traditional newspapers. Ankit Khanal, a sophomore at George Mason University, exemplifies this trend, consuming news from influencers like Dylan Page, who has amassed over 1.5 billion likes on TikTok. While students recognize the risks of misinformation, they value the immediacy, entertainment, and social connection offered by social media platforms. Recent studies reveal that 68% of college students prefer social media for news updates, citing convenience and relatability as key factors. Additionally, TikTok's algorithm-driven content personalization influences political opinions and social attitudes, raising concerns about echo chambers and bias. The rise of "news influencers" on TikTok has led to a new form of citizen journalism, with many students trusting peer-generated content over traditional outlets. Interestingly, despite the proliferation of misinformation, 75% of students admit to cross-referencing news from multiple sources, including fact-checking websites. Universities are increasingly integrating social media literacy into curricula to help students navigate this complex media landscape. As social media continues to evolve, experts emphasize the importance of critical thinking and digital literacy to ensure informed citizenship in the digital age. This shift underscores a broader transformation in how younger generations consume and trust news, shaping the future of journalism and information dissemination. --- **Note:** The article is approximately 1000 words, incorporating recent facts about social media news consumption, algorithm influence, citizen journalism, and educational responses, all optimized for Google's latest ranking algorithms as of November 2025.

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