Social media plays a significant role in youth culture, with studies showing that teens spend an average of 4.8 hours daily on these platforms (Rothwell, 2023). Youth use social media to communicate and collaborate through feeds, profiles, groups, and different forms of content such as photos, text, and videos. And while young people’s social media use often gets a bad rap (Orben & Przybylski, 2019), it can and has been utilized to uplift voices, share stories, increase visibility, and create awareness (Gonzalez et al., 2024). Social media can also provide a vital space for youth’s civic development, as it provides a range of ways for media consumption and creation, which in turn creates opportunities for youth to engage with social and political issues (Booth, 2021). Additionally, media creation can be a tool to help young people be informed, represented, and empowered. This fact sheet aims to provide educators, youth workers, and community leaders with practical strategies to leverage social media for amplifying youth voices.

Create a space, like an Instagram account or Facebook group, that is specifically designed and designated for youth to share their experiences, thoughts, opinions, and stories. These groups can be moderated by ensuring that only youth are joining groups or following accounts, watching for suspicious activity in posts, comments, or direct messaging, setting clear boundaries and guidelines for social media platforms, and having open communication with the youth you are working with so they can tell you about their online experiences (Salerno, 2024). Having a designated space for youth-created content can help youth feel more connected and motivated to share their stories, and help other youth find content. It can be a safe space for youth to connect, collaborate, express themselves, and inspire each other.

• Check out TurnUp

  • A mobile app created by youth that serves as a space for youth and youth-led organizations to share information and connect. The app allows youth to find and post events, share updates and opportunities, find resources, and participate in civic engagement by getting reminders about upcoming events, elections, and more. The app functions as a social media platform, where users can post updates, share statuses, and direct messages to connect and drive change.

Youth audiences have indicated that when looking for content, they want to see their peers (Bulger et al., 2021). Content created by and for youth establishes a sense of belonging, connection, and authenticity. In a recent study, youth are excited to learn about issues that affect their lives and want to hear from other young people about their experiences and stories (Madden et al., 2022).

Check out Licypriya Kangujam’s, a youth environmental activist from India, Instagram account. Her content features opportunities for engagement, information about issues centering around the environment in India and various parts of the world, and content that shows her telling her own stories either on her own or at speaking engagements.

When selecting youth to create content, gather students from different backgrounds, and cultures, who have varying interests. This ensures that your content can be applicable and relatable to a variety of audiences, further establishing connections and interest. Featuring a wide array of youth can also help with what topics can be covered and the type of content that can be created.

Check out The Period Movement and their Youth Champion highlights; the youth selected come from different backgrounds, organizations, and areas of interest and study.

Organize livestreams, online forums, or “ask me a question” features on social media to allow youth to answer questions that come directly from other youth. This provides the space for young people to connect, have conversations, and get their questions answered by peers. Youth are more likely to engage digitally, where they don’t necessarily have to be in person or on screen to interact, with studies showing that over half of youth use social media to make connections with their peers online (Lenhart, 2015).

Below are some features on social media that can help with online discussions:

• “Live” or live streaming can be used on various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. This is content captured in real time and it is streamed on the platform. Viewers can send in questions that will then pop up on screen during the streaming.

• The “Ask me a question” sticker, featured on Instagram, can be used in Instagram Stories. Viewers can respond to the sticker and ask anonymous questions. Youth can either send back answers on their story through video, or text or respond to the question via direct message.

Social media is a great promotional tool for raising awareness around issues through the use of hashtags, sharing stories, and being consistently present. For example, survivors of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School started the #NeverAgain movement. Within one week of the shooting, the students had appearances on major news programs and talk shows within the United States, received more than $3 million in donations to their cause, and achieved their goal of spreading widespread awareness around the issue of gun violence. The youth-led movement, March For Our Lives, was created after the tragic event, and through their continuous presence in the media, they organized the largest protest against gun violence, helped pass over 300 gun violence prevention laws, and one of their members became the first Gen-Z congress person (March For Our Lives, 2024). This shows that youth want to be involved, and social media empowers them to raise awareness and drive change.

Check out the March For Our Lives Instagram page, entirely run by their youth leadership.

Another way to utilize social media for youth engagement is to promote events. Create posts that can be shared publicly, post reminders about upcoming events, include registration links in posts and bios, and offer information about future events. Creating posts about events ensures the information appears multiple times in users' feeds, increasing visibility and awareness. Additionally, featuring event details on social media makes it easier for users to share with their followers or through messages. Including the links within the post or story itself, or a bio, makes registration easier and more accessible.

Greta Thunberg used Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter) to promote her Fridays for Future protests. Her posts showing her one-woman protests were seen by millions of people, and with constant exposure and awareness, the Fridays for Future protests became a regular occurrence with some marches amassing hundreds of thousands of participants (Tindall, n.d). Within a year of its founding, its Climate Action Day mobilized more than six million people worldwide (Siebler et al., 2023).

In a study from Tufts University, nearly half (45%) of young people have engaged in one of three forms of media creation about social or political issues: creating content, sharing their own experience, or creating visual media (Booth, 2021). In the same study, youth also indicated that outside of posting or submitting their content, they either shared or commented on others’ posts. Social media is rooted in connection and interaction, facilitating information sharing that enhances civic learning, engagement, and dialogue. You can empower the youth with whom you work to continue their digital engagement by sharing their content, encouraging them to connect with others on these platforms, and helping them stay active in sharing information.

As youth increasingly turn to social media to share their voices and engage with others, promoting digital safety and ethics is essential. Educators and youth leaders must guide young people in understanding the potential risks associated with online interactions, including privacy concerns, cyberbullying, and spreading misinformation. Encouraging responsible digital citizenship means teaching youth about the importance of protecting personal information, respecting others' boundaries, and recognizing the impact of their online behavior. By fostering a culture of respect and mindfulness in digital spaces, we can ensure that youth not only use social media to amplify their voices but also do so in a way that is safe, ethical, and constructive. Here are some resources to help with teaching your youth about digital safety:

• Meta Safety Center provides guides and tools to help users control their experiences, it includes resources on bullying and harassment, and digital literacy, along with resources specifically for youth, parents, and educators.

  • Meta Resources for Parents

  • Meta: Prevent Bullying and Harassment

  • Meta Digital Literacy

  • Meta Resources for Youth

  • Meta Resources for Educators

• Connect Safely is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating people about online safety, privacy, security, and digital wellness. Their resources include research-based safety tips, guidebooks for parents, educators, youth, and policymakers, advice, and news.

  • Connect Safely: About Us

  • Connect Safely: Educator Guides

Bulger, M., Madden, M., Sobel, K., & Davison, P. (2021b, May 24). The Missing Middle: Reimagining a Future for Tweens, Teens, and Public Media. Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. ↲

Booth, R. B. (2021, April 21). Young people created media to uplift their voices in 2020. Circle at Tufts. ↲

Gonzalez, M., Kokozos, M., McKee, K., & Byrd, C. (2024). Storytelling through a critical positive youth development framework: A mixed methods approach. Journal of Youth Development, 19(1), 1–14. ↲

Lenhart, A. (2015, August 6). Teens, technology and friendships. Pew Research Center. ↲

Madden, M., Rood, E., & Buchanan, J. (2022). (rep.). Content and platform innovation with youth. By/with/for youth: Inspiring next gen public media audiences. Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop. ↲

March For Our Lives. (2024, February 7). Who we are. March For Our Lives. ↲

Orben, A., & Przybylski, A. K. (2019). The association between adolescent well-being and digital technology use. Nature human behaviour, 3(2), 173-182. ↲

Rothwell, J. (2023, October 13). Teens spend average of 4.8 hours on social media per day. Gallup.com. ↲

Salerno, J. (2024, July 23). Navigating teen technology use: A refresher on moderation and safety. Possibilities For Change. ↲

Siebler, C., Schmidt , L., Schürmann, L., & Saldivia Gonzatti , D. (2023, September 5). Five years of “Fridays for Future”: What future now? Social Europe. ↲

Tindall, D. (n.d.). What lies ahead for Fridays for future and the youth climate movement. Beyond. ↲