Young people and social media: opportunities and risks for democracy

Abstract

This study analyses the relationship between different profiles of social media use and young people’s civic and political attitudes and behaviours on social media, and explores the opportunities and risks for democracy that arise from this connection. We used a mixed sequential methodology, including surveys that triggered focus groups with young students aged 13-18. The results show one group of young people who are politically engaged and use social media for their political opportunities; and another group whose intense involvement in social media seems to have influenced their online civic and political participation, even though they express no a priori political interest or intention. In addition, young people point out that social media offer both opportunities (increasing youth awareness and political mobilisation) and risks (misinformation and manipulation, little space for political debate between different opinions) for democracy.