A recent YPulse survey reveals that 44% of young Europeans from Generation Z use social networks to learn new things. But why do these platforms appeal so much to this young group and millennials?

It’s because, while they may not necessarily trust these sources of information, they do offer a multitude of points of view – something Gen-Z users appreciate.

In Europe, more than two in five youths turn to social networks to learn new things, according to the survey conducted among 2,500 young people aged 13-39 in the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

This study looked at the reasons why this demographic turns to social networks as a source of learning.

Despite their scepticism about the veracity of information found online, young people appreciate the diversity of viewpoints that enable them to form their own opinions, notes YPulse. In fact, 60% of 13- and 22 year-olds even say that social networks are the best place to learn more about a subject, thanks to the diversity of viewpoints.

The majority of Gen Z-ers are aware that information found on social networks can be inaccurate, or even completely false. Only a quarter are certain of the relevance of the info they might find. And over two-thirds of European Gen Z-ers agree that social networks are full of fake news, from mass disinformation to conspiracy theories.

Among a list of 12 sources considered the most reliable by the young people surveyed, social networks come in sixth place. Gen Z-ers place more importance on information provided by people they know personally, and also from Wikipedia.

Finally, this young group is twice as likely to agree that experts and certified professionals provide them with accurate information compared to social media, YPulse reports.