The demise of democracy is impending, and as with a lot of issues, we, Generation Z, face the blame. 

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Democracy makes up the very fabric of our society, and journalism is a key pillar in keeping it stable. Through elections and fair voting, democracy places the power of decision-making in the hands of the people, instead of a singular person or party. In the wake of social media, however, the strength and fairness of democracy have been contested with the subsequent rise of disinformation and polarization. With a reputation intertwined with social media, our generation has been blamed for jeopardizing democracy.

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Last month, on November 9th, the Samara Centre for Democracy’s annual In Defense of Democracy event was held at the Winter Garden Theatre. Nahlah Ayed from CBC Ideas was joined by Lisa LaFlamme, the former news anchor for CTV, to converse about the intersection of journalism with democracy, and social media. Unsurprisingly, we were the youngest attendees in the crowd.

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“It is possible we didn’t take [social media] seriously enough [in the 2000s], but we are facing the issues now. There are ramifications for gutting newsrooms. [We have reached a] danger zone for democracy,” said LaFlamme.

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Social media enables information to be shared with the entire world within seconds with the luxury of anonymity and hidden identities. Algorithms on different social media platforms have created online forums and echo chambers where one can surround oneself with media that promotes one’s own beliefs. Traditional newspapers and news channels have been lost amid the thousands of words that people crave for instant gratification and entertainment on social media. Local newspapers that once upheld vibrant politics and communities are eroding, creating a centralization of our media and leading to the spread of misinformation.

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With the decline in local newspapers, voters’ knowledge of candidates largely comes from social media, which isn’t governed by editorial standards. 

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“School Trustees received a lot of threats and identity attacks on Twitter,” mentioned Ayed during the conversation. We can simply reflect on the impacts of social media on School Trustee elections: democracy on a smaller scale. 

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That being said, even though it may appear as though free speech and the free press are at war, they are highly interrelated.

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“It is about what the public wouldn’t know without conventional journalism,” declared LaFlamme, when asked about the importance of free press. Journalism serves to educate and provide accurate facts from which readers can interpret and form opinions. Free press exists for free speech; social media is a multifaceted issue, and when used for the benefit of our society, it can lay the groundwork for this relationship of fundamental rights. It gives the people a voice and understanding of the world independent from power dynamics.

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“Democracy is so much a cliffhanger that Gen Z is paying attention,” said LaFlamme, mentioning a quote she had heard.

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Social media has made news more available to a broader range of people. It has built communities and brought together movements, all across the globe. Whether you like it or not, social media is here to stay. Instead of wasting time basking in the past, we can instead use social media as a tool to spread accurate and credible news, if only to combat all the hate and misinformation found on all platforms.

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As Ayed astutely pointed out, “Journalism is integral to democracy.” If there is one lesson to learn from social media it is that one person with a voice can create a lasting change. Just by reading this newspaper, you have contributed to defending the system that maintains our freedom by supporting the most local press: your school newspaper. If you have read this far through our article, you have contributed to maintaining democracy’s stalwart flame, no matter what generation you belong to. 

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And as we hold the embers of journalism and democracy into our hands, we must decide if they will ignite, or extinguish freedom.