The growing reliance on social media via mobile devices is changing how individuals obtain, engage with, and learn from news content. Based on the cognitive mediation model of learning from the news, this study qualitatively explores this three-step process of news exposure, engagement, and knowledge via digital media. Focus group discussions with post-Millennials (N = 60) and thematic analysis of the results reveal several tensions. Participants see social media as imperfect but unavoidably convenient ways to get news, and they find the personalised news content available to be both a benefit and a drawback. They show a general hesitation to engage publicly with news content, opting mostly to passively observe others’ discussions on social media. Finally, they feel that social media give them a sense of awareness of current events, but do not prompt deeper learning about news topics.

通过移动设备越来越依赖社交媒体正在改变个人获取，接触新闻内容和从新闻内容中学习的方式。基于从新闻中学习的认知中介模型，本研究定性地探索了通过数字媒体进行新闻曝光，参与和知识的三步过程。与千禧一代后的焦点小组讨论（N = 60），结果的主题分析揭示了几种张力。参与者将社交媒体视为获取新闻的不完善但不可避免的便捷方式，他们发现可用的个性化新闻内容既有利又不利。他们表现出普遍不愿公开参与新闻内容的犹豫，主要是选择被动地观察他人在社交媒体上的讨论。最后，他们认为社交媒体使他们对时事有所了解，但并没有促进对新闻主题的更深入学习。