How Algorithms Rewired Gen Z's Sense of Truth

Gen Z's relationship with truth has been fundamentally reshaped by algorithmic social media platforms, shifting from evidence-based institutional systems to emotionally-driven, algorithmically personalized narratives that correlate with documented spikes in adolescent anxiety and depression since 2012-2014. The engagement-optimized architecture of these platforms exacerbates psychological vulnerability while conditioning a generation to prioritize emotional resonance over factual authority. As AI technology advances, this group becomes increasingly susceptible to sophisticated misinformation campaigns.