ENSC 162: Real News, Fake News: Media's Influence on the Public's Opinion of Climate Change

There is a dependence on media outlets such as news stations or social media to make sense of the constant barrage of information on political, global, and environmental issues presented to the public. What needs to be questioned is the validity of this information, and how that information is covered, especially when it is about controversial issues like climate change. The public’s view of climate change is shaped by the media that they consume- news outlets on television, online journals or articles, and social media. For this project, the role of the media in socially constructing climate change and other environmental issues was researched. What we found is that there are gatekeepers that control and manipulate how information is presented in the media- the federal and local governments, advertisers, groups with certain political agendas, etc. In the media, especially social media, there is free flow of information. This project confirmed that social media can and does enable either side of the global climate change debate (includes advocates and deniers). In conclusion, people should be aware and exercise caution in who or what they use as their source of information for the important issues.