Progress, inevitability and agency: Young people's perspectives on their digital future

Young people's everyday life is significantly shaped by their use of digital media. Despite the promise of improvements through digital media in areas such as education and social participation in political discourse, scientific investigation mainly focuses on the increased screen time and related negative impacts on young people's health and well-being. However, young people's perspectives and experiences of digital media usage still only play a minor role in scientific discourse. Almost nothing is known to date about their ideas for their future life in an increasingly digitalised world. This paper is based on a qualitative study in which young German high school students are regularly asked about the anticipated influence of digital media on their future lives. Results highlight an ambiguous outlook on the digital future, with progress and improvements on the one hand, and inevitability and danger on the other. At the same time, our participants struggle for agency to create a digital future at their terms. This calls for joint social efforts to promote emancipatory media literacy, empowering young people to use, reflect on, create and change digital media towards outcomes that are beneficial both individually and socially.