Sensemaking and Boundary Setting in Teenagers’ Social Media Worlds: News, Social Issues and Science Encounters

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:20 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Intersections of Mental Health and Social Media (Table 2)

Abstract

This study explores how teenagers encounter and make sense of current events, social issues, and science content on social media. It utilizes a qualitative approach with ten teenagers from a mid-size city in the United States. Data were collected via interviews, social media artifacts, and video diaries. The findings suggest that teens are more likely to encounter information incidentally than intentionally. They are often focused on maintaining algorithms and respecting platform and network boundaries. The study highlights a gap in how teens engage with and evaluate the information, suggesting the need for better integration of digital literacy skills in education to help teens navigate their social media worlds effectively.

Authors

• Vanessa Dennen, Florida State University

• Idam Kim, Florida State University

• Melissa K. Jones, Dartmouth College

• Mallory Lloyd, Florida State University

• Megan Melvin, Florida State University

• Karen Salazar Angeles, Florida State University