Young people, social media, and critical health media literacies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/qhc.158616Keywords:
embodiment, health information, media literacy, social media, young peopleAbstract
Background: Social media and other digital platforms are becoming significant sources of health, fitness, and nutrition information for young people. This underlines the need to examine the potential consequences of such information practices for young people’s health knowledge, their relationship to their bodies, and their wellbeing. Aim: Using a sociocultural approach to literacy, this article examines how young people understand, experience, and engage with health information mediated through digital technologies. Methods: Five activity-based focus group interviews were organized with 14–17-year-olds as part of a pilot project informing a broader study about health information and critical literacies. Results: Content about fitness, nutrition, and body image constituted a dominant part of the health-related information the participants encountered on social media. The participants were aware of algorithmic processes that produced health information and affirmed their ability to evaluate the quality of content on social media. They were critical of but accepted being the object of surveillance and data capture. Participants were critical of health narratives on social media by highlighting the unhealthy practices of influencers and questioning perfect body ideals. However, they still aspired to these “perfect” masculine and feminine body ideals. Discussion and conclusion: The study highlights the affective, situated, and relational nature of young people’s health literacy practices. This reflects the tensions, contradictions and ambivalences that are an integral part of the wider youth digital culture.
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