The Networked Young Citizen as POPC Citizen

Abstract

Young people are often characterized as the archetype for the permanently online and permanently connected citizen, but has this also changed the amount and quality of their political engagement? Using original research data collected for The Civic Network project in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, this chapter shows that young people participate in politics. However, their participation mostly occurs online, not offline, and reflects the emergence of engaged citizenship norms. Social media provides a space for many young people who are now permanently online and permanently connected to show symbolic solidarity, share information, make political statements, and issue calls to action. Yet at the same time, there is a deep reluctance to engage in politics on social media for fear of introducing conflict and disagreement into their everyday social networks.