Dr. Francisco Arri, the academic secretary, published an academic article in the journal *La Trama de la Comunicación* of the National University of Rosario (UNR).
In this study, the author analyzes the impact of Instagram as a source of information among young Latin Americans.
An international collaborative study
The article is titled "The Use of Instagram in the News Consumption of Communication Students in Latin America."
It was co-authored by Pablo Andrada Solé, a professor and researcher at the University of La Serena (Chile); Ana Laura García Luna, a professor and researcher at the University of Salvador (Argentina); and Graciela Paredes, also a professor and researcher at the same Argentine institution.
This research was conducted as part of the Investigar en Red project, an academic community comprising 39 universities from nine Latin American countries, whose purpose is to study the information and entertainment consumption habits of university students majoring in communication.
The network, which was launched in 2020 with the participation of eleven Argentine universities, expanded its regional reach in 2023, establishing itself as a leader in collaborative communication research in Latin America.
Key findings: Instagram as a source of information
The study, based on 97 focus groups conducted at various universities in the region, reveals the central role that Instagram plays as a platform for accessing news among young people.
Among the key findings are the phenomenon of incidental consumption, growing awareness of how algorithms work, and a preference for informative microcontent.
In addition, the article examines how students develop strategies to delve deeper into the news they receive, seeking to move beyond the initial superficiality inherent in the digital environment.
From a co-evolutionary and ecosystemic perspective, the analysis describes the dynamics through which young people supplement the information they receive on Instagram with other media sources in an effort to construct a more comprehensive and balanced view of current events.
An open-access publication
The full article can be found in the academic journal *La Trama de la Comunicación*, published by the National University of Rosario. It is also available via the download link below.