In the lead-up to the recent UK election, a group of six volunteers agreed to share their phone activity to shed light on how people are staying informed about current events in today's digital age. The volunteers' findings offer a glimpse into the changing landscape of news consumption in the UK.
One volunteer, Zoya, a 28-year-old British-Pakistani woman from Birmingham, shared her experience of shifting political allegiances and priorities. Formerly a loyal Labour voter with little knowledge of the situation in Palestine, Zoya's perspective changed after engaging with TikTok videos and AI-generated Instagram content. She now identifies as a Green supporter and considers the situation in Gaza to be her top concern.
This experiment raises the question of whether this election marks a departure from traditional mainstream media sources in favor of social media platforms. The volunteers' insights provide valuable insights into how individuals are accessing and engaging with news in the digital age.
What method did The Guardian use to study news consumption habits of voters leading up to the UK election?
The Guardian asked six volunteers to record their phone screens for three days to study their news consumption habits.
What changes in news consumption habits were observed among the volunteers?
The volunteers reported a lot less sharing of news compared to previous elections, with more reliance on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram for news updates.
How did Zoya's news consumption habits change leading up to the election?
Zoya, a British-Pakistani woman in Birmingham, used to be a loyal Labour voter but after watching TikTok videos and AI-generated Instagram posts, she became a Green supporter and now considers Gaza as her top issue.