Growing Up in Digital Media Environments

How are the advancing digitalisation and deep mediatisation changing the way children and young people grow up? What role do social media, online platforms, and artificial intelligence play in identity development, education and social participation? And how can safe online spaces in which young people gain experiences be designed for young people?

The Research Area “Growing Up in Digital Media Environments” investigates how young people use digital and AI-powered media in their everyday lives, what opportunities and risks arise from this use, how they cope with the challenges of the digital world, and what implications this has for media education, children’s rights, and the protection of children and young people in digital media environments. A key characteristic of the research group is its interdisciplinary approach that brings together perspectives from communication studies, the social sciences and legal studies.

The research group pays particular attention to the changes brought about by data-driven systems and artificial intelligence and their implications for growing up in increasingly digitalised societies. In the Youth Lab (Y-Lab), it works together with children and young people in a participatory way: together, they explore new technologies and analyse experiences, expectations and patterns of use. Combined with established research methods, this approach provides a deeper understanding of the significance of digital media and AI-powered technologies for young people.

The planned Observatory for Young People in Digitised Societies will be designed to establish a long-term framework for research and monitoring, enabling the analysis of digital transformation and their consequences for young people. It draws together interdisciplinary findings from relevant studies and projects, including the group’s own research, identifies emerging developments and trends, and provides scientifically grounded knowledge for policymakers and society, supporting the further development of media education and the protection of children and young people in digital media environments.

Research group leaders: Dr. Stephan Dreyer and Dr. Claudia Lampert