Leonie Wunderlich and Sascha Hölig published the findings of a study that focused on the now quite large group of young people who are not very interested in news in an article called “Lost for News? Ten Insights into Young People Who Are Not Very Interested in News” in the journal deutsche jugend.
These young people can hardly be reached by traditional media (newspapers, television, etc.), which has far-reaching consequences for their political awareness. Information for them typically originates from friends, acquaintances, or social media platforms. On these platforms, influencers and stars with experience in the music, film, and sports industries serve as sources.
According to researchers, however, a minimum level of information use and the associated processes of opinion formation and political participation are essential for a functioning democracy.
This article presents ten key findings regarding the interests, usage practices, and attitudes of young people who are not very interested in information. It then discusses the implications of such an attitude considering a democratic society.
Wunderlich, Leonie, Hölig, Sascha (2024): Lost for News? Zehn Erkenntnisse zu gering informationsorientierten jungen Menschen [Ten Findings on Young People with Low Information Orientation]. In: deutsche jugend, 2024/08, pp. 315-323