Young people, social media and engagement

After the initial wave of optimism about the role of the Internet in societal and social changes, many scholars are gradually becoming less positive in their appraisals. Popular discussion, however, is still firmly optimistic and gives a great deal of attention to this issue. Some even consider social media a deus ex machina that will resolve the majority of contemporary societal problems. This paper reconsiders the role of the Internet in citizens’ lives, with a special focus on young people and their use of the Internet in political communication.