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The 2020 pandemic was marked by the infamous Shein hauls that flooded the TikTok for you page of many, including myself. People would buy an abundance of clothing and accessories at dirt-cheap prices to satisfy that urge to shop that teenage girls know all too well.
In a time when millions were laid off or had their monthly income cut, fast fashion was able to aid the average consumer’s financial dilemma.
However, in late 2022, the company became the epicenter for backlash surrounding child exploitation and unethical labor laws following a British news network’s investigation into the company.
Many influencers posted public apologies for purchasing from the company in an act of self-preservation. They blamed their lack of knowledge for their purchases and claimed they would never support a company that treated their workers that way.
But I’m sure just like me, this has not crossed your mind in a while. Frankly, with the recent influx of tell-alls and exposés, the thought of knowing what is being said about your favorite stores or companies probably sounds a bit overwhelming.
Many companies have been publicly outed for insensitive or unethical practices in the past few years, yet most have not had taken a significant hit. When people have strong beliefs about something, they typically spend most of their lives in echo chambers that reinforce their beliefs and refute the rest. It is impossible to facilitate productive discourse in a society that has just as much real information as fabricated “facts”.
Anyone with an Instagram could probably name at least five serial “activists” or compulsive infographic sharers that they follow. I mean no disrespect to people actively enthralled in these issues and aiming to spread awareness, but I think the medium they use is noteworthy.
I have lost count of how many times I have gone on Instagram and tapped through people’s stories just to see the same infographic or picture over and over again. My issue with this phenomenon is not necessarily the content but more so the presentation and the “aesthetics” people wish to convey.
The social media news account “Impact” states that they provide followers with “digestible and socially impactful content.” The issue is that all news is NOT inherently digestible, which is why we call it news and not entertainment. Furthermore, when you have content about the 2025 Met Gala sandwiched in between information about toxic diet culture, the war in Gaza, and Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater soap, you’re aiding in the creation of a false reality where all these news stories exist on the same plane.
The era of digestible news has pushed the narrative that activism can be posting a few infographics on your page now and again. This is why, when it comes to sharing news that focuses on unethical business practices, people oftentimes are indifferent or feel unaffected because social media has created an alternate reality where all news is on the same level of relevance and importance.
So if you don’t care about Zendaya’s Met Gala look, then why would you care about the unrest in the Middle East? This response is not a commentary on the morality of the consumer, but instead a way to recognize that imagery and presentation in news media have become more important than the news itself.
In Neil Postman’s 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death, he discusses how the way information is received has drastically changed in tandem with the rise of television. He explains it like this:
What is happening here is that television is altering the meaning of ‘being informed’ by creating a species of information that might properly be called disinformation… Disinformation does not mean false information. It means misleading information–misplaced, irrelevant, fragmented or superficial information–information that creates the illusion of knowing something but which in fact leads one away from knowing.
Although within the last decade we have watched television become secondary to short-form content, the sentiment remains the same: news and exposés have moved away from the need to inform and have become focused on how entertaining or shocking they can be.
The rise of social media for sharing news has left consumers unsure of what to believe. So instead of seeking out truth and dissecting news media, consumers become overwhelmed. The medium, even if it is aesthetically pleasing and specially curated, begins to feel detached or completely alienated from what the consumer believes to be real.
This phenomenon is one we have seen before. The reason consumers have trouble delineating between fact and fiction is the same reason why people are more vocal about their opinions when they can hide behind a screen. The internet has stood the test of time because it offers up an alternate reality. A fantasy that, after a long day of realworld burdens, can take you somewhere. A place where everything is more digestible and you can be whoever you want.
So, with all that being said, what can you do to stay engaged and informed in a world of media that is becoming harder to decipher?
Here’s my advice:
Build Bridges, Don’t Burn Them
I think it is easy to dismiss people with differing opinions in our modern world. However, sometimes a lack of mutual understanding can sprout from an inability to find common ground. I suggest communicating and conversing in a non-combative manner. The world of multimedia feeds off an “Us vs. Them” mentality, but you don’t have to give in.
In communication, there is a concept called “Information Overload” that states that an excessive amount of information causes the human brain to essentially become paralyzed, greatly lessening the retention of the information shared. It is not a coincidence that the world is saturated with information. If anything, the constant expansion of news media aids in the spread of disinformation.
It is unrealistic to say that everyone you come into contact with will be someone you can make connections with, but there is something you can learn from everyone. As a generation riddled with anxiety, it may feel hard to have these conversations, but the gift of knowledge is available to all. Connecting with others and finding ways to connect the dots can help ground you in reality and consume in a disciplined way.
Do Your Research
As I previously mentioned, a way to keep yourself engaged with news is to find connections with others to avoid feeling overwhelmed. However, there is a bit more to it. An important aspect of becoming a responsible information-driven consumer means seeking out accurate information, even when it’s inconvenient.
As a chronically online generation, we live for quick dopamine hits that keep us coming back for more. This is why it is so easy to fall into the trap of digestible content. It has become second nature to get your news on Instagram or Google the latest scandal. But it is crucial that you seek out information instead of letting it seek you out.
I’m not by any means trying to discourage you from reading news on social media, but I think that since we have all grown up on the internet, we think we’re “smart” enough to know fact from fiction. But you must remember the stakeholders and the people directly connected to the information. There are reasons some sites come up on a Google search before others, and it isn’t always because they provide the best or most accurate information.
Put Down the Phone
In summary, I think it is crucial for everyone’s sanity to keep your daily news intake to a minimum. Information fatigue is real and becomes more present in our world by the day. People profit off of your need to endlessly click, scroll, and like.
Limiting your news intake does not make you selfish or inconsiderate. For me, this boundary I have set with myself feels like self-care and saves me from the endless cycle of doom-scrolling.
Having a whole world of information at your fingertips can be incredible when used responsibly. You don’t need to be “on” all the time (despite what they tell you). Consume information in moderation today, and you’ll thank yourself tomorrow.