'Memes are the way we see things:' Why Gen Z consumes news through humour

Some young people say they no longer get their news from television, newspapers, or traditional social media. Instead, they're learning about world events through memes.

Members of London's Generation Z, or those born between 1997 and 2012, said memes, often humorous photos or videos that circulate on social media platforms, are a more accessible way for them to consume news.

"I feel like a lot of people don't watch the news or even check it through their phone," said Maanya Kohli, a student at Western University. "At least if they see it through a meme, they're more likely to search it up and get some kind of information, rather than just be uninformed."

Whether through a short written tweet, Instagram photo or TikTok video, memes make it easy for people to digest information, said Andie Shabbar, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western. 

"It tells you a lot quickly about what people are thinking about a certain thing or how people are perceiving a certain news topic or political issue," Shabbar said. "I think the nature of social media being quick consumption aligns perfectly with the meme format."

"It's reflective of the information overload that we have now with access to all kinds of political events going on across the world, which is fantastic but very overwhelming for the average person," she added. 

Some young people say it's challenging to access traditional news online due to an overwhelming amount of content on social media.

"Traditional media companies aren't getting their information to us in a way that we find accessible, so we're kind of forced to make our own ways to get news across," said student Noah Zabian.

Social media platforms, like Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, which have blocked access to Canadian news content are also an obstacle, Zabian said.

"It doesn't really allow news corporations to post their stuff online and lots of people do look at social media for news," Zabian said. "[Memes] are just a byproduct of that since we can't get our news from reputable sources on the internet."

A way to have a voice, build community

Shabbar said meme creators often do it as a way to engage in conversations about the world. 

"They're kind of the low-stakes way of sharing political thoughts," she said.

Even though Shabbar said it's hard to know the exact demographic of people who make and consume memes, she said she thinks it helps young people, in particular, make their voices heard.

"We're in this new era where social media is the new public sphere, and everybody has a soapbox on social media," Shabbar said. "Memes stand out, they have visual impact, they contain humour and satire."

She also said memes are a way for people to create a community around topics of interest.

"I know if I show [news] to my younger cousins, they aren't going to pay attention to it unless it's something funny," said Aahash Srikumar, a student who said he has sent memes to family members and friends. 

"It's how our generation is," said Srikumar. "Social media is such a big thing, and how often we're on it just shows that memes are the way we see things."

Srikumar said memes are not the only humorous way people talk about news, pointing to television shows like The Simpsons.

While humour is nothing new, its presence on social media may make it seem like it is, said Tanja Grubnic who has a PhD in English at Western University.

"It might feel more prominent now, but that's because anybody can post online, in theory," said Grubnic. "User-generated content has no gatekeeper."

Potential for misinformation, insensitivity

With no rules on memes, some people said there is content that crosses the line, including those which include hate speech or are about a person's death. 

"I feel like [memes] are good for reaching a larger audience, but sometimes it's insensitive," said student Jimin Lee, who said she thinks memes about death are inappropriate. "Making that into a meme isn't the most sensitive thing to do, especially for the victim's families."

Some young people also said memes have the potential to spread misinformation, especially when it's unclear whether it is presenting a fact or opinion.

"I'm kind of worried for the people who don't have the judgement to know what's right or wrong or actually factual, so I think it can be pretty dangerous as well," said Kohli. "Things get lost in context."

Shabbar said some of the key negatives of using memes for news include the loss of depth in issues and political polarization in memes that share extreme views. 

"There's a myopic worldview that can get perpetuated with meme culture, and there can definitely be a loss of perspective," she said. 

Shabbar said there is also cause for concern when memes are created by people or corporations in power: "Memes can be used to manipulate," she said. 

Shabbar said that although memes have a place, they should not be the only way people engage in world events.

"If it propels you to have an opinion on something or engages an emotion in you, then it kind of puts the onus on you to research it more," she said. "That would be a way to engage with it responsibly."