Content Discrepancies on Social Media Pages: Addressing the Awareness of Doom-scrolling in the Context of News and the Increasing Need for Media Literacy to Emerge in Private and Public Spheres

Adolescence is a stage of life that affects not only shapes our perception of the world, but also our mental and physiological well-being, which makes it incredibly important that the kind of social media we are exposed to is regulated, unbiased, and ultimately- free from inconsistencies and discrepancies. This study reviews recent findings by the methods of Survey Research and Statistical Analysis, on how conflicting media narratives contribute to increased anxiety, confusion, and skewed perceptions among adolescents. It also addresses the role of media literacy in alleviating these issues, noting that many young individuals struggle with evaluating information credibility and identifying biases. The hypothesis- that discrepancies in media coverage have psychological effects on adolescents, is ultimately proven in the study. However, awareness of these psychological effects is not enough. It reports that while adolescents are aware of frequent disturbances in their mental and physiological reactions, and while the majority of respondents agree on the need for media literacy, there still exists a tendency to ignore and sideline this need. They continue to recognise yet disregard media discrepancies.