Are they partying or panicking? Generation Z responds to criticism over lack of social distancing

VANCOUVER-First, the boomers criticized millennials, then the millennials struck back at boomers. Now, they're both here for Gen Z.

Millennials were once branded as entitled brats who couldn't afford homes because they dined out on avocado toast. Then the tables turned and the concerns of aging boomers were dismissed with the flippant "OK Boomer" meme.

Now they're both coming for members of Generation Z who are being mocked online for their seemingly blissful ignorance of social distancing in the age of coronavirus with the hashtag #COVIDIOTS.

According to Pew Research Center, those born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 24 to 39 in 2020) are considered millennials, and anyone born from 1997 onward is part of the group most often referred to as Generation Z.

However, preoccupation with world events is not a trait belonging strictly to boomers. Many teens and young adults are worried and according to University of British Columbia psychologist Jiaying Zhao, anxiety might be a defining trait of Gen Z.

"Secondary school students and even younger kids are increasingly anxious about problems like climate change. The issue is so grand, that they feel helpless ... The public doesn't know much about COVID-19, which leads to anxiety," Zhao told the Star.

She says that providing youth with accurate information and teaching them how to identify misinformation can go a long way toward supporting public mental health and, at the same time, help reduce the spread of coronavirus.

Those who want to spread awareness about coronavirus should know that younger people consume social media in a different way than millennials, according to social media strategist Beverley Theresa.

A survey from Business Insider found that 60 per cent of Generation Z visit YouTube daily, while mobile video app TikTok is gaining wild popularity among users between the ages of 16 and 24.

The Star spoke to several young Canadians about the online reaction to young people seemingly ignoring social distancing guidelines. In their own words, here's what they had to say:

Dottie Chiu, 22, artist and retail worker from Orangeville, ON

"I think it's super amusing that older people are blaming millennials and Generation Z for going out ESPECIALLY when the person who's complaining is actually within the millennial age group. That being said, obviously people going out for non-essential reasons are foolish. But I've found in my area it's more likely to be middle-aged and older people going out, rather than kids. I work at an electronics store and prior to self-isolation it was purely people around 40 to 80 in the store.

I find most people in my general age group are terrified, and using dark humour to cope; i.e. the memes regarding it. We're generally a pessimistic age group due to the incidents growing up (9/11, wars, recessions and so on) so I find publicly, everyone is posting jokes and things, however in one-on-one conversations most people are scared. They're disappointed in how slowly things are getting done. Most of my friends think there should've been more done quicker.

I think health officials are doing OK getting out information. Unfortunately, there are people who don't understand and never will - of all ages. People didn't start taking it seriously until things were closing. I do believe that for a while some people were thinking of this as an extended break and were planning outings until (business and border) closures happened. I think those closures and cancellations needed to happen quicker to try to contain things faster.

I mostly use Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and YouTube. I'm in local groups on Facebook purely for local information - I find they're faster at finding out what is open and closed locally, as well as grocery stock.

Additionally because the older people use Facebook a lot it's easy to find news, and then check sources and such with Google to verify. Twitter is great for a less local news source. Snapchat is where a lot of people freak out a bit, and more of a communication hub at the moment. I have coworkers on it, so we find out a bit of stuff there. Instagram is more to pass time and talk to friends. YouTube is background noise to distract myself."

Tiffani Lee, 24, marketing professional from Vancouver, B.C.

"I think it's a small segment of young people who are going out and ignoring health guidances. It sucks that people partying up in Miami are going viral and older people think we're all like that.

People in their twenties and thirties actually have to work, or we're worrying about losing our jobs, and we're staying home and doing our best to take care of our parents.

I sympathize about how it's harder for people in densely populated neighbourhoods like Kitsilano or downtown. If they go out for a walk, it's tough to avoid people. I live in east Vancouver, and there are less people on the streets and parks, and everyone I see outside is staying at least six feet apart from each other.

My friends and I are using social media to take our minds off things. TikTok is mostly for entertainment, but I have seen quite a few nurses and doctors using the app to raise awareness about what we should do.

It's fun to participate in all these viral dances and challenges, where people learn dance moves and post them. I think people around my age might be a bit shy, but my sister who's 20 and her friends don't seem to care. They are posting silly videos of themselves dancing. It's just something to do while we're trying to figure everything out.

I think many people aren't sure about what they're allowed and not allowed to do. When my friends and I talk, we ask each other, what is OK? How about visiting one friend? Or standing outside and having a conversation?

To be safe, we're erring on the side of caution. On Friday night we used Google Hangouts to play games on Jackbox TV. Instead of going out and having drinks, we drink by ourselves and play games together and chat. Before, no one wanted to pick up the phone and I never called my friends. I'd rather text them. Now with all the young people doing social distancing, we're calling and FaceTiming each other.

I think celebrities are doing a good job raising awareness, doing things like tagging other celebrities on Instagram to post a video of themselves washing their hands properly. I like Ellen DeGeneres' videos."

Michael Chen, 27, student from Markham, ON

"I studied journalism at Ryerson, did a year of exchange in Singapore and then I was an immigration youth worker for a few years. I'm now back in school to study to become a teacher.

I do think that people were taking coronavirus too lightly at first. It's easy to think of the 'other,' that the bad things are happening in that part of the world and won't reach us. And you know, the Canadian government wasn't really asking the right questions at the borders.

There's still a lot of confusion. Young people might see celebrities on social media going out with their friends and not staying six feet apart. They might be inclined to have FOMO (fear of missing out) and cave in and stop practising social distancing.

Even among my friends, some of them wanted to get bubble tea, so they went out and then rushed back home, hoping that was OK if it's only a short non-essential outing.

Now, I think most people are taking it seriously and trying to stay at home even if they don't have any symptoms.

I follow a lot of Singaporean celebrities, and they were posting these comedic videos about social distancing. I don't think it was a term back in January, but they were already practising it and promoting it.

In North America, it's only been a little over a week. It isn't only young people who were too slow to grasp the importance of social distancing.

If the Singapore government ministries want to push out a campaign, they enlist the help of this very popular media agency to make comedic videos on their behalf, named SGAG. Their videos are quite engaging. That's one way for the Canadian government to publish information that's appealing to younger viewers, including Gen Z.

From an educational perspective, teachers can still connect to their students virtually and give them assignments to apply some critical thinking and research skills to the concept of social distancing, and looking at ways to support themselves and their families in terms of mental health.

I think that's something a lot of students need during this time. They're grappling with so much change. They're experiencing it first-hand and need support, not ridicule."

Joanna Chiu is a Vancouver-based reporter covering both Canada-China relations and current affairs on the West Coast for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @joannachiu