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@article{203787,
        author = {Mohammad Shadab Sami Assistant Professor, Department of Fashion Communication, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Patna and Col Rahul Sharma},
        title = {Social Media Journalism in India: Its Impact on Youth and Generation Z},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {13},
        number = {1},
        pages = {4497-4515},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=203787},
        abstract = {The rapid expansion of digital communication technologies and affordable internet access in India has transformed journalism into a highly interactive, platform-driven ecosystem. Social media journalism has emerged as a dominant source of information, particularly among Generation Z, who increasingly rely on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and X for news, political awareness, entertainment, and social engagement. This study explores the influence of social media journalism on Indian Gen Z audiences through a qualitative analysis of content patterns, audience behaviour, and platform-specific journalistic practices. The research investigates how these platforms shape public opinion, encourage citizen journalism, and influence socio-political participation among youth. Simultaneously, the paper critically examines concerns such as misinformation, sensationalism, algorithmic bias, emotional manipulation, and declining trust in traditional journalism. Using thematic qualitative analysis, the study evaluates journalistic practices across YouTube, Facebook, and X to understand their role in contemporary Indian digital culture. The findings suggest that while social media journalism democratises information dissemination and amplifies marginalised voices, it also poses challenges to media literacy, mental health, and ethical communication. The study concludes by emphasising the need for responsible journalism, fact-checking systems, and digital media literacy to strengthen democratic participation among Indian youth.},
        keywords = {Social Media Journalism, Generation Z, India, YouTube Journalism, Facebook Journalism, X Journalism, Fake News, Citizen Journalism, Digital Media Literacy},
        month = {June},
        }