Understanding adolescent engagement in media web surveys: how question design shapes nonresponse

Questions of media trust and credibility are widely discussed; numerous studies over the past 30 years show a decline in trust in media as well as institutions and experts. The subject has been discussed—and researched—since the period between World Wars I and II and is often returned to as new forms of technology and news consumption are developed. However, trust levels, and what people trust, differ in different countries. Part of the reason that trust in the media has received such extensive attention is the widespread view shared by communications scholars and media development practitioners that a well-functioning media is essential to democracy. But the solutions discussion is further complicated because the academic research on media trust—before and since the advent of online media—is fragmented, contradictory, and inconclusive. Further, it is not clear to what extent digital technology –and the loss of traditional signals of credibility—has confused audiences and damaged trust in media and to what extent trust in media is related to worries about globalization, job losses, and economic inequality. Nor is it clear whether trust in one journalist or outlet can be generalized. This makes it difficult to know how to rebuild trust in the media, and although there are many efforts to do so, it is not clear which will work—or whether any will.

This study analyzes “selective exposure” to online news media (i.e., preferential exposure to congenial and trusted media) by comparing the behavioral and declarative data of 1,536 participants over a one-month period. We recorded their Internet activity over a one-month period and then asked them about their level of trust in several news media outlets, the frequency with which they had been exposed to them, and their political position and orientation along a progressive-conservative axis.. Results show that 1) participants’ trust in the different news media varies according to their political attitudes, 2) participants’ probability of declaring exposure to a specific news media is impacted by their trust in this media, as well as by their political attitudes, 3) these effects are much weaker when considering participants’ effective exposure to news media. Overall, these results indicate that selective exposure to online news media exists, but it is exaggerated when studied only by means of declarative data.

Parental Factors Associated with Social Media Use in Adolescence: A Systematic Review.

The dissemination of misinformation is a concern for political parties, news consumers and scholars of communication, and the purpose of this paper is to explore the current state, development, and important issues of misinformation research in the field of communication over the past decade. This study analysed 768 SSCI articles from the year 2014-2023 through the Web of Science database using bibliometrics. The study found that the number of published papers peaked in 2022 with 191 SSCI papers, and is considered the highest number recorded. Michael Hameleers, a scholar from the University of Amsterdam, U.S., are the largest contributor in research literature on misinformation in the field of communication at the macro, meso, and micro levels, respectively; meanwhile, "Health Communication" was the largest contributing journal. Three national level cooperation networks were seen through the cooperation network analysis, which were the United States of America, European and Asian cooperation networks; and from the institutional perspective, four basic cooperation networks were formed; whilst from the author perspective, the largest cooperation network had 22 researchers. These findings indicated that there is well-established cooperation network of authors research about misinformation in communication field. Through the citation and co-citation analysis, it was concluded that the most influential researcher in the field of communication is Emily K. Vraga. Through the cluster analysis of communication area, the misinformation studies was mainly found in the research of sharing information, governance, health, and politics. This study provides a macro framework for future researchers to examine pertinent issues of misinformation in the field of communication. Keywords: Misinformation, communication, bibliometric analysis, social media, research scholar.

Purpose This study investigates whether ChatGPT-driven traffic (CGT) acts as a substitute or complement to traditional news media platforms in the United States and Taiwan. By analyzing website traffic patterns and incorporating cross-cultural and platform-specific factors, the research aims to determine how generative AI tools influence news consumption dynamics. The study also examines the moderating effects of website scale and specialization (generalist vs. niche) to provide a nuanced understanding of AI’s role in reshaping digital media ecosystems. Findings offer insights for media organizations, policymakers, and AI developers on adapting to evolving content distribution and engagement trends. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quantitative research approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the impact of ChatGPT-driven traffic (CGT) on total website traffic (TWT). A dataset of 80 news websites (40 from the U.S. and 40 from Taiwan) was analyzed, incorporating website scale and specialization (generalist vs. niche) as moderating variables. Traffic data were sourced from SimilarWeb, capturing monthly visits over six months. Multi-group analysis (MGA) was conducted to compare effects across different platform sizes and national contexts, offering insights into ChatGPT’s role as a substitute or complement in news media ecosystems. Findings The study reveals that ChatGPT-driven traffic (CGT) generally complements news media by increasing website visits, but its impact varies by country and website scale. In Taiwan, ChatGPT acts as a traffic driver, especially for smaller and niche platforms. In contrast, large U.S. websites experience substitution effects, suggesting AI-driven content may reduce direct visits. Website scale is a key factor, with smaller platforms benefiting more from AI referrals. These findings highlight the need for adaptive strategies in media organizations and call for regulatory considerations to balance AI’s role in content distribution and news ecosystem sustainability. Research limitations/implications This study relies on third-party traffic data (SimilarWeb), which may not fully capture user interactions and engagement depth. The analysis is limited to a six-month period, potentially missing long-term trends in AI-driven news consumption. Additionally, the findings focus on the U.S. and Taiwan, limiting generalizability to other media markets with different regulatory and technological landscapes. The study examines traffic patterns but does not explore user trust, perception, or content credibility in AI-generated summaries. Future research should incorporate longitudinal data, qualitative insights, and additional geographic contexts to provide a more comprehensive understanding of AI’s impact on news ecosystems. Practical implications News organizations, especially smaller and niche platforms, should optimize content for AI-driven referrals to enhance visibility and engagement. Large U.S. platforms facing substitution effects must focus on exclusive content and direct user engagement to maintain traffic. Policymakers should ensure transparent referral attribution and explore fair revenue-sharing models between AI platforms and news publishers. AI developers should collaborate with media outlets to create sustainable content distribution frameworks, balancing efficiency with news ecosystem sustainability. Understanding ChatGPT’s role in media consumption can help stakeholders adapt strategies, refine monetization models, and foster AI-media partnerships for long-term industry resilience. Social implications The rise of AI-driven news consumption impacts public access to information, media trust, and digital literacy. In Taiwan, ChatGPT enhances access to niche content, potentially fostering information diversity. In the U.S., substitution effects may contribute to reduced engagement with primary news sources, affecting media sustainability and journalism quality. AI-generated summaries could influence public opinion formation, raising concerns about bias and misinformation. Policymakers must promote transparency and ethical AI use to ensure balanced news dissemination. Media literacy initiatives are essential to help users critically engage with AI-curated content while preserving credible journalism and democratic discourse. Originality/value This study provides a novel cross-cultural analysis of ChatGPT-driven traffic (CGT) in the U.S. and Taiwan, offering new insights into AI’s role in news consumption dynamics. By integrating website scale and specialization (generalist vs. niche), it refines the substitution-complementarity framework in the context of generative AI. Unlike prior research focusing on social media and search engines, this study uniquely examines AI-driven referrals using empirical traffic data. The findings contribute to digital media strategy, policy discussions, and AI adoption research, guiding news organizations, regulators, and AI developers in navigating the evolving AI-media ecosystem.

Research on trust in media is on the rise. However, communication scholars have addressed related concepts (e.g. media credibility) for decades, and these concepts have often been used interchangeably with that of trust. This practice has resulted in a confusing field of research, with studies using different labels and drawing on various theoretical backgrounds. This article aims to improve conceptual clarity. On the basis of a literature review, we first propose a broad conceptualization of trust in news media and disentangle it from related concepts. Second, we develop a framework that identifies individual- and societal-level causes and consequences of trust in various media objects. Third, we review the current state of research on social, political, and media-related correlates of trust.

Comparative analysis of retentive areas of removable partial denture abutment teeth obtained by digital and conventional survey techniques.

Chapter 4 examines how the patterns of news consumption outlined in the previous chapter relate to media trust. We start by providing a multi-layered mapping of media trust across the four countries, paying attention not just to the more commonly investigated generalized levels of media trust but also trust in individual news brands. We argue that in a context where generalized media trust declines, people adopt a pragmatic approach to media trust, seeking to follow news sources that may not be completely trustworthy, but nonetheless offer a more credible account than others. Second, we examine the relationship between media trust and news consumption and investigate why people consume media they distrust. Finally, we consider how citizens establish which media are trustworthy. The results suggest that in a context where the illiberal public sphere assumes a dominant position, the normative foundations of media trust start shifting, ultimately leading citizens to place trust in media not because they offer impartial or accurate coverage of public affairs, but because they provide an account of reality they personally agree with or—in the extreme case—because their account of reality is aligned with the one promoted by those in power.

Communication research has long explored the association between media trust and news consumption. However, the strength and direction of this relationship have remained elusive. This study suggests a new approach for investigating these complex relations, differentiating between usage and trust associated with different sources over time. Focusing on the 2022 French election and drawing on data from a four-wave panel survey (N = 1,294), we utilized Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model (RI-CLPM) analysis to uncover two key over time effects: a selection effect, wherein trust reinforces usage; and a media effect, wherein usage influences trust. While a selection effect driven by news trust was observed in a right-wing political alternative channel, a media effect leading to news trust was linked with more traditional television channels. By identifying these effects and their associations with various types of outlets, this study advances the ongoing scholarly debate around the role of trust in news consumption.

In this study, we extend the literature on the rally ‘round the flag phenomenon, that is, that international crises tend to cause an increase in citizens’ approval of political institutions. We advance this literature and highlight its relevance for political communication research in three ways: 1) by theorizing and empirically testing two arguments for why rally effects should extend to trust in the news media on the institutional level, 2) by providing empirical evidence on how rally effects on trust in the media develop over time during an international crisis, and 3) by theorizing and testing the conditions under which rally effects on media trust are more likely to occur by studying heterogeneous effects. Through a panel design with a pre-crisis baseline of Norwegian citizens’ trust in news media, we find evidence to suggest that the compound effect of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis caused a long-lasting increase in trust in the news media in Norway, and that the degree of increase varied by citizens’ education and whether they belonged to a “high-risk” group. We also provide evidence to suggest that rally effects on news media trust are contingent on how important the news media is as a source of information about the crisis and the “trust nexus” between media trust and political trust. These insights extend our current understanding of how times of crisis affect trust in the news media.

Vaccine hesitancy remains a significant public health challenge, particularly during pandemics when high immunization rates are crucial. While individual psychological antecedents of vaccine hesitancy have been extensively studied, limited empirical evidence exists on how contextual determinants, such as socioeconomic status, political trust, and digital literacy, collectively shape vaccine-related behaviors, particularly in Central European populations. This study explores the key determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Czech adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 48th wave of the Czech national panel survey Život během pandemie [Life During Pandemic], carried out in March 2023. The data were obtained via an online questionnaire administered to a nationally representative sample of Czech adults (n = 1,708). Sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and anamnestic variables were examined alongside political attitudes. Psychological antecedents of vaccination were assessed using the 5C model (confidence, complacency, constraints, risk calculation, and collective responsibility), and digital vaccine literacy was measured using seven items covering trust in official sources, trust in social media, and the ability to evaluate and apply vaccine information. Statistical analyses included bivariate tests and multivariable regression models to identify vaccine uptake and intent determinants. Higher trust in constitutional institutions, including the president (OR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.38–1.74), government (1.60; 1.38–1.85), Chamber of Deputies (1.73; 1.48–2.02), and Senate (1.47; 1.29–1.69), was significantly associated with higher vaccine uptake. Similarly, positive attitudes toward the integration of Ukrainian refugees into Czech society – across domains such as work (1.63; 1.39–1.90), housing (1.59; 1.36–1.86), school (1.64; 1.41–1.92), language (1.57; 1.34–1.84), and culture (1.74; 1.50–2.03) – were positively associated with uptake. Greater confidence in vaccine safety and effectiveness was also a significant predictor (1.51; 1.44–1.58). In contrast, lower education (0.64; 0.56–0.73), lower income (0.91; 0.86–0.95), female sex (0.60; 0.47–0.76), and higher complacency (0.76; 0.73–0.80) were associated with reduced uptake. Respondents with better digital vaccine literacy, particularly those more adept at identifying misinformation, showed significantly greater vaccine confidence (mean score: 3.62 vs. 3.30, p < .001). Beyond psychological antecedents, institutional trust, political orientation, and digital vaccine literacy significantly shape COVID-19 vaccination behaviors. These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions that address political and digital influences on vaccine hesitancy, and they highlight the need for future research to examine the causal pathways and longitudinal dynamics underlying these associations, particularly within Central and Eastern European contexts.

Introduction. This article investigates the relationship between digital and paper reading within modern adolescents’ reading activities. The purpose of the study is to reveal the characteristics of adolescents’ digital reading compared to paper reading. Materials and Methods. The study involved theoretical analysis and consolidation of research findings on digital reading. Empirical data were collected via questionnaires, the focus group method, expert evaluation and structured interviews. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the obtained data were carried out. Participants were 1835 schoolchildren in grades 5-8 (aged between 11 and 15 years) from 14 regions of the Russian Federation. Results. The authors summarized the findings of the theoretical and empirical study of adolescents’ digital reading compared to paper reading. In order to identify the specifics of modern adolescents’ digital reading, ‘Paper vs screen (reading from paper and reading from screens)’ questionnaire has been developed and empirically verified. The authors analyzed the content of students’ online reading, its range and intensity, reading preferences regarding the environment (analog/digital) and the medium (the type of device). Conclusions. The article concludes that at present adolescents’ reading activities are characterized by the cohesion of traditional and new reading practices. Nevertheless, paper reading remains the dominant format of book reading. Characteristics of modern adolescents’ digital reading include spontaneity, pragmatism, and situatedness. The findings suggest that digital reading preferences include informative and entertaining texts related to the field of everyday communication. Purposeful teaching of digital reading at school is highlighted as an important factor enhancing the effectiveness of reading performance.

This study explores the relationships between political orientation and news consumption, examining the mediating role of trust in media and the moderating role of interest in politics. Based on a survey of 9,558 audience members from Chile, our work reveals three key findings. First, political orientation is directly connected to individuals choosing to consume news from media outlets that align with their ideological beliefs, demonstrating a clear pattern of selective exposure. Second, trust in these media brands acts as a crucial mediator of this relationship, with individuals more likely to engage with news from sources they trust, often aligning with their political views. Third, political interest moderates all these links, with higher political interest intensifying selective exposure to like-minded media. These results enhance our understanding of confirmation bias in media consumption and underscore the intertwined roles of ideological preferences and perceived credibility. The findings have significant implications for media practices and policies to reduce political polarization and promote more diversified news consumption. Future research should consider experimental or longitudinal designs to further investigate these dynamics and explore interventions encouraging exposure to a broader range of viewpoints.

Today, people are increasingly exposed to news on various channels without actively seeking it. However, less is known about the link between the so-called incidental news exposure (INE) and actual news consumption. Using a two-wave panel data set from 18 countries around the world, we study the so-far under researched relation between INE and news consumption across various platforms over time. In doing so, we control for key micro-level variables such as news use, political interest and trust in media as well as macro-level variables, including internet connectivity, GDP, press freedom and literacy rate. The analyses yield an optimistic picture, showing that INE plays a bridging function across countries, leading to actual news consumption on traditional, online and social media platforms. However, trust in news and political interest do not seem to play key moderating roles. Instead, individual analyses per country imply that the link between INE and actual news use is more apparent for online and social media news platforms, and particularly in countries where general social media usage has been reported to be considerably high (e.g. Brazil, Philippines, Taiwan, UK and USA).

The increasing demand for robust marine bird abundance and distribution assessments coupled with technological advances has led to the development of digital survey techniques for birds. Although digital surveys for bird monitoring are becoming a standard method in some countries, their strengths and weaknesses and comparability with traditional visual surveys remain insufficiently documented and understood. Aiming to improve existing knowledge on digital video monitoring techniques, we conducted one parallel digital video survey with 2-cm ground resolution and a 544-m swath flown at 549 m and an aerial visual survey flown at 76 m over the southern Baltic Sea in March 2015. We assessed bird sighting rates, identification rates, observed densities, and model-based abundance estimates. The digital survey covered a larger area through direct registrations, provided higher numbers of bird sightings and identified species, and higher spatial accuracy than the visual survey. Overall species identification rates were similar between the survey methods; however, there were marked differences among bird taxonomic groups: more individuals were identified to species level in the digital survey dataset for the majority of taxonomic groups, except for grebes and auks. These advantages supplement other previously identified benefits of digital aerial surveys, such as the elimination of bird disturbance due to high flight altitude, reduced observer bias, and availability of raw data for quality assurance. Furthermore, higher numbers of direct bird sightings at a higher spatial resolution during digital surveys ensure better statistical analyses, including distribution modelling, of more species for the same survey effort.