Story by Jenene Grover
Feature photo via Sidelines Archive, by Kayla Walker
The creation of the internet localized information and made it convenient to access. The creation of AI, however, localized and made convenient misinformation.
Gen Z, born from 1997-2012, only knows life after the internet. Some say the internet raised them, growing up on social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. Some families monitored children’s internet access, but others used the internet to further explore interests in books, TV shows and other media.
Now, people also scroll social media in search of information, with many reliable and unreliable news sources, posts and photos popping up constantly.
“I think that like for me, it was more, like not even that I was interacting with people that were older than me on social media, but more like there was a bunch of young people talking about stuff that they didn’t entirely understand,” said Hannah Antrican, president of MTSU’s Planned Parenthood Generation Action.
Despite the ability to make private accounts, someone can easily track information about an individual. Job interviewers can search social media and view any posted political opinions or drunk photos, even if deleted.
Social media companies store personal data, sometimes handing it over to third parties or using it to improve algorithms. These algorithms cause social media users to become part of echo chambers, only seeing and hearing their own political opinions with very little divisiveness or fact-checking. Algorithms are how people get sucked into conspiracy theories and believe all kinds of misinformation.
“I’ve been in the marketing program, and so a lot of our classes relate to digital marketing,” said Jackson Lewis, president of MTSU’s Students for Life. “And so I’ve learned so much about how the apps and algorithms track you personally and what you do, is there really is no privacy once you’re– once you put yourself online. And so I’d say me, I don’t really have any privacy.”
Once something is posted on social media, it cannot be deleted from the internet. Information can be accessed again on sites such as the WayBackMachine.
Some Gen Z parents shared private information on social media platforms like Facebook, showing children in private moments, revealing report cards or sharing photos of bath time — information a child could not properly consent to being posted. Children now share more concern for their privacy, with TikTok (and similar platforms) allowing strangers to share videos of them everywhere.
“Social media has brought up a number of interesting questions legally around what is… technically private and what is not,” said David Trowbridge, MTSU professor for Constitutional Law. “And I’m thinking mostly about searches, so the things that you post on social media.” But one thing Gen Z didn’t have to worry about until now? AI.
Voices and likenesses can be taken from videos posted online and combined with Artificial Intelligence to recreate a person. Using this recreation, scammers can call loved ones asking for money or personal information. AI recreations could also be superimposed onto other videos, spouting dangerous facts or put on top of pornographic videos.
These AI recreations are commonly known as Deepfakes, and the videos and photos can be easily created through an app and an existing video or photo. Currently, the federal government does not outlaw the creation or sharing of Deepfakes, but some states passed legislation against AI recreations following increased issues in 2023 and 2024.
Freshman MTSU student Rami Masoued takes everything he sees on social media with a grain of salt because he believes that much of what he sees when he scrolls is fake. However, he worries about misinformation being spread on social media through Deepfakes, especially during the 2024 election.
“I feel like people could just say whatever they want to get people to vote for a certain person,” said Masoued.
Republicans and Democrats share differing ideas on AI. Republicans want to encourage AI development and usage to promote ideas and free speech. Democrats want to keep AI regulated and ensure safe AI, training AI scientists and professionals. Neither party is particularly against AI. Democrats want to include AI in federal government activities, but these lawmakers want it regulated to mitigate harm.
“I think it’s kind of like an in between, like 50/50, because it does help with a lot of things, but I also feel like if it gets too advanced, it can go too far and like, it won’t be good,” said Abigail Phegley, a freshman at MTSU.
Both parties recently proposed a new American Privacy Rights Act in April 2024, focused on data privacy. Many social media companies allegedly share personal user data with third parties, putting users in harm’s way by possibly resulting in identity theft or data loss.
“Privacy policies must prominently describe how consumers can exercise their individual controls and opt-out rights,” according to the APRA.
Both parties commonly agree on the importance of keeping data private.
However, Republicans and Democrats sometimes agree in different ways about other common privacy issues. Project 2025 was put together by 140 former President Donald Trump staffers but has been repeatedly denied by the presidential candidate.
The plan includes limitations on abortion access, limiting abortion pills and the mailing of any abortion materials. Project 2025 also includes plans to document abortions and live births. Despite Trump’s denials, the possibility of these policies being implemented if Trump wins in November still concerns many Democrats.
“I think that a vote for Trump or even a Republican candidate in general in this election is a vote to suspend your right to privacy in healthcare and social media related issues,” said Antrican.
“Whereas, a vote for Harris or Democratic candidates are, is a vote for privacy and safety in a healthcare sense and a more stable right to your speech and your privacy on social media.
Jenene Grover is the news editor for MTSU Sidelines.
To contact the News Editor, email newseditor@mtsusidelines.com.
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