Förtroende i det digitala medielandskapet : En studie om generationers syn på trovärdighet och ansvar hos medborgarjournalister och traditionella nyhetsmedi

Sammanfattning

The digital media landscape has changed how political information is produced and shared. Social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) allow individuals without journalistic training to publish political content to large audiences. These actors, often described as citizen journalists, challenge the traditional role of professional news media. This development raises important questions about credibility, legitimacy, and responsibility in political communication. The purpose of this study is to examine how different generations in Sweden perceive political content produced by Swedish citizen journalists on social media, compared to political journalism from traditional Swedish news media. The study uses gatekeeping theory, participatory culture, and public sphere theory to understand how trust in media is shaped in a digital environment where professional and non-professional actors coexist. The study is based on a quantitative survey conducted among Swedish respondents from different age groups. To support the survey, a small content analysis was carried out to clarify the distinction between citizen journalists and traditional news media. Credibility, legitimacy, and responsibility were measured using index-based Likert-scale questions, which made it possible to compare perceptions between generations. The results show that traditional news media are generally perceived as more credible and responsible than citizen journalists across all age groups. However, younger respondents express slightly higher trust in citizen journalists than older respondents. Older generations tend to rely more strongly on traditional news media or express uncertainty toward political content on social media. Overall, the findings suggest that citizen journalism functions mainly as a complement to traditional journalism, while professional news media remain central for trust and democratic legitimacy.