Helping teenagers understand social platforms, with Sophia Smith Galer

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Emerging social platforms like TikTok are home to harmful misinformation with the intent to mislead. But sometimes it is the case of influencers unknowingly spreading untruths and conspiracy theories in search of clicks and fame. 

Part of the solution is to empower young people to become more clued-up content creators, says this week's podcast guest Sophia Smith Galer, a journalist who has worked with BBC News and Vice News. She has half a million TikTok followers and is one of the leading voices calling for a new frontier of journalism.

She says that newsrooms need to actively invest in TikTok, YouTube or Instagram to meet young audiences where they are. Otherwise, young people will end up simply listening to the loudest voices on the platforms, which do not always have the best values at heart.

Smith Galer recently developed a content creator literacy programme with a US university. She tells us today about the big breakthroughs she has seen in helping young people understand how social media can be a force for both good and bad.

How often do you post on socials? How long should videos be? And how the hell do you do it when you're trying to write a book at the same time?

I made a creator podcast for my Brown fellowship and here writer Andrea Cheong and I talk about what I'll christen 'creation balance' pic.twitter.com/7zStuC7g8p

— Sophia Smith Galer FRSA (@sophiasgaler) October 11, 2023

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