Digital socialization and linguistic vitality: how social media reconfigure the use of Catalan in the eastern strip of Aragon

This study examines how the use of social media platforms based on recommendation algorithms can reshape linguistic use patterns among adolescents living in territories marked by linguistic imbalance, such as the eastern strip of Aragon. Using a sample of 181 participants, we analyzed the use of Spanish and Catalan across key contexts of adolescent socialisation, as well as their specific digital exposure and practices. The results show that social media use contributes to the displacement of the minoritized language in favour of the dominant one, primarily as a consequence of a reevaluation of attitudes toward both languages. These findings suggest that the algorithmic and consumerist logic underpinning current digital socialisation contexts may alter the subjective perception of linguistic prestige and utility, thereby calling for a rethinking of pedagogical practices and public policies aimed at promoting Catalan in this territory.