Beyond panics towards connection, ethics and digital citizenship
Description

Teenagers’ use of internet, mobiles and social media has brought about moral panics and collective concerns about the potential harms posed by digital technologies. These panics encompass potential risks ranging from pornography, online predators, sexting, bullying and device addiction.

In this interactive lecture we challenge and critique risk-focused media narratives, noting that media panics have a longer history that precedes the internet. We explore the diverse ways that young people use social media for connection, self-expression, and identity construction, and ask: How can we ensure that young people can make the most of what social media has to offer? What are the various ethical issues that arise in online spaces? What does it mean to be a good digital citizen?

Reasons to attend:

This interactive webinar will provide a counter-narrative to the dominant narratives about young people’s use of digital media, recognising the agency of teenagers and the importance of digital media in their lives.
Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the Live Q&A session.

The following reading provides a good overview of some of the issues:
– boyd, d (2014). It’s complicated: The social lives of networked teens. Introduction. Pp. 1 – 28. Yale University Press.

These additional readings provide some additional context:
– Lumby, C., Albury, K., McKee, A (2019). Modern Love: Young people, sex, relationships and social media. In, Gleeson, K., Lumby, C (Eds). The Age of Consent Young People, Sexual Abuse and Agency. UWA.
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