With the rise of digital media and social platforms, many young people have adopted a "news-finds-me" attitude, relying on algorithms to show them relevant news content. This behavior has resulted in a decline in traditional news media use and an increase in the number of "news-deprived" individuals, particularly among young people.

In a new project financed by seed money from the University of Fribourg, Diana Ingenhoff and Alexandra Feddersen (DCM) seek to understand Generation Z's news consumption patterns and opinion formation, specifically where they get their politically and socially relevant information from and how they recognize and trust news sources and media brands. To explore these questions, the researchers apply a novel methodological approach using an app-based diary study coupled with pre,  intra-, and post-treatment surveys.