In a digital world dominated by short-form content, universities and parents alike are struggling to keep up. Radosław Aksamit, communications director at the University of Silesia and a researcher at its Institute of Journalism and Media Communication, tells the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that young people are consuming and creating media in ways that pose both cultural and psychological risks — but also opportunities.
PAP: It is increasingly said that Facebook has become a medium for older people. Have young users really moved to other platforms?
Radosław Aksamit: Yes, we are seeing a clear change. Just a few years ago, Facebook was a trendsetter, but today, young people prefer Instagram and TikTok. These platforms are based on short, visual communication, fast-pace and scrolling - exactly what the younger generation is looking for and what they base their preferences for the speed of access to content on.
PAP: What does this mean for institutions that want to reach young audiences?
R.A.: Representatives of institutions are increasingly realizing that if they want to maintain relationships and connect with younger audiences, they must engage with these channels and learn to speak their language. The role of universities and scientific institutions, beyond conducting research, is also to stay connected with their environment. In the current conditions, this means, among other things, creating engaging yet substantive content. This is the only way for valuable content to stand out among the multitude of memes and reels lacking in substance. This is one of the most important tasks we, as universities, undertake through our science communication efforts, including the promotion of science.
Furthermore, having communication specialists "embrace" the social media landscape presented by Instagram and TikTok is also a way to push out pathological content that can be simply dangerous for young users.
A good example of this are challenges, which - as it has happened before - can lead to health problems or even death of their participants. This was the case, for example, with the boy who participated in the so-called blackout challenge, a challenge that involved asphyxiation.
PAP: Recently, the Polish Press Agency described a trend in which young people hang themselves from tall objects in the pose of the crucified Jesus; of course, this isn't without dangerous accidents. However, parents are unaware of this; they explore different parts of the internet than their children. They watch funny cats, while their children are going rogue.
There's a saying that bad money often drives out good money. Unfortunately, the same applies to social media content. Another issue is that algorithms target specific groups with specific content, and we often fail to understand how these mechanisms work.
This means that parents and guardians should be even more sensitive to this and take responsibility for what their children watch. Parents should be the first to be responsible for their children's media education.
We must remember that media trends change rapidly. Not so long ago, we were tearing our hair out over reality shows. It was predicted that Big Brother would be the end of high culture in the media and that nothing worse could happen. Now we know that these were innocent games compared to what is acceptable in media today.
Media education is all the more important, so that young viewers know the alternative - something can be attractive, 'cool', and at the same time valuable. We should make every effort to ensure that young viewers learn to seek out such content and to critically evaluate what they encounter, also on social media. It is also crucial to support slightly older generations, who are not so-called digital natives, in their interaction with social media - they also need numerous explanations, for example, about deepfake content. I imagine that in an ideal world, science communication is as attractive as some low-value trends.
PAP: Most of this short content, however, is superficial and yet addictive.
R.A.: Of course. Research shows that watching reels or memes has a quick, rewarding effect on your brain - it releases hormones that make you feel pleasure, which in turn leads to the urge to continue scrolling. And this does not just apply to young people. Adults also fall into this trap.
PAP: You mentioned the role of media education. What should it look like?
R.A.: First and foremost, media education is not about prohibiting children and young people from engaging with online content in favour of other content. It is about teaching them to consciously choose content. We need to present alternatives: the ability to seek out valuable content that supports acquiring knowledge about the world, building awareness that alongside pathological trends, there are also valuable channels that develop skills. Science communicators such as Tomasz Rożek, Karol Wójcicki, and Katarzyna Siudziak do this brilliantly.
PAP: How do you rate the risk of disinformation on social media?
R.A.: It is significant. Social media can be an arena for disinformation activities, from both corporations and states. This is evident in the case of TikTok, whose ownership structure raises doubts. But similar problems also affect Facebook and X. That is why building user awareness and institutional accountability is so important. The recent shift by social media platforms away from the fact-checking mechanisms implemented in the past seems significant in this regard. This makes the role of scientific communication and the related creation of valuable content based on scientific methods of acquiring data and knowledge even more crucial.
PAP: Does this mean that it is impossible to cut ourselves off from social media?
R.A.: No, it is part of the modern world. Our role is to use it wisely and teach it to all generations.
Interview by Mira Suchodolska (PAP)
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