Back in January, when news feeds were filled with coverage of the LA wildfires, an image of the Hollywood sign up in flames took the internet by storm. A product of deepfake AI fooled many. Buzz in the hallways about this image grew louder the week after winter break, proving that many students were still buying into the misinformation that spread rapidly on social media. It’s time to freak out. With the rise in social media along with the advancement of AI technology, the future of authentic, factual journalism is ominous. Short-form junk media is trending. And with the integration of social media content and AI, the ability to discern lies from truth is becoming increasingly difficult.
We live in a state where this junk media has trumped credible information. Wider access to information has fundamentally changed the way we consume and trust media. We no longer live in the days where journalists are viewed as Cronkites, trusted messengers of the most pressing issues. Now, it is more economical to receive information through social media clips, a mix of accurate material and misinformation. Rather than subscribing to accredited news publications, social media has appeared as the better alternative because it’s free and accessible. After all, who is it that we can really trust? And wouldn’t it be easier to trust the cheapest source? As a result, publications are dying, only maintaining followership among older or more educated populations.
Last year, the Los Angeles Times fired over 20% of its newsroom staff. This phenomenon is not isolated, though. Major news publications have found themselves strapped for cash with low audience engagement. Local news outlets have been similarly affected, being acquired by major corporations, propagating a singular agenda across numerous local media sources. These truths, the reality that once trusted publications are reaching closer to bankruptcy, continue to undermine the credibility of real journalism, driving audiences away from news and into AI induced social media, a false reality that is easier to deal with.
We say that we’re doomed because of AI, but we need to reckon with the fact that this technology is here to stay and will ultimately enhance the efficiency of virtually every industry. Despite this, we need to realize that the development of AI may be the ultimate demise of trust in our nation’s institutions and trust in journalism standards. Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, widening the avenues for internet trolls to post believable fake videos of fake news within minutes. What does this mean? More outrage over fake Hollywood signs burning down. More deep fake Taylor Swifts endorsing political campaigns. And greater divide over the “real” media, thinning the fine line that defines a nation’s public perception over what is true and what isn’t. Subscribership to news publications will continue to decrease, turning public attention to the appeal of free media consumption. While I remain optimistic that there will always maintain an audience for storytelling journalism that captures the authentic voices of individuals, the reality is that our media priorities are fundamentally changing. We make decisions based on the affordability of time. It appears more affordable to watch a simplified, maybe true thirty second TikTok video over a major world conflict than read the detailed eight minute article.
In short: we’re lazy. And while news publications have transitioned to establish a social media presence, this isn’t sustainable as they have to compete with a sea of media content of varying accuracy. We are as much a contributor to growing misinformation as AI. The solution? Realize the long term investment of educating yourself from well-established institutions. Choose the eight minute article over the thirty second video. Quit the brain rot.
