Digital Generation: Marion Händel On Media Use Today

What shapes the media and technology socialization of those born between 2000 and 2012?

Marion Händel: Media are developing much more rapidly than in the past. In the past, there were 100 or 200 years between disruptive developments. Today, it’s decades or just a few years. Young people use media for production, transmission, and reception. Instead of passive consumption, interaction is now at the forefront. This means that they receive constant feedback. Media communication is becoming faster and private communication is being carried into the public sphere.

How are these rapid developments changing the way young people interact with media?

Händel: I have observed that there is very little fear of contact with new technologies. Young people are curious and open to technology and simply try out innovations. This also results in a shift when we talk about media literacy. In addition to media studies, media criticism is becoming increasingly important today: young people not only need to know how social media algorithms work, but also critically reflect on how credible information is and how it affects them.

Where does AI encounter the younger generation in everyday life?

Händel: Young people often encounter AI unconsciously on social media, where AI-generated content is played out based on their interests. Smart speakers, apps, and Google searches provide AI summaries. Even influencers are sometimes already AI-generated. Anyone who interacts with generative AI reveals personal information, which in turn is used as training data. This creates new challenges in the area of data protection. And it raises the question: When should you trust AI-generated information and when should you not? The importance of expertise and competence is increasing, as this is the only way to assess the credibility of information.

What role does increasing personalization play in this context?

Händel: I can understand the need for personalization very well. You no longer have to select information yourself, but receive relevant content and can delve deeply into topics that are personally relevant to you. Minorities feel more addressed because they receive targeted content. This blurs the line between individual opinion and universal truth. People who constantly receive information that matches their own interests and opinions quickly feel validated. At the same time, they either don’t see other aspects at all or don’t want to see them – this is confirmation bias. This is how conspiracy myths can become entrenched in the digital space. Young people need to be aware of this. Otherwise, they develop an understanding of the media that leads them to think: the way something is presented to me is the way reality is for everyone else.

Which communication strategies and media formats particularly appeal to the younger generation?

Händel: Storytelling is outdated today. We have already moved on to storymaking. This involves developing a story together with the audience. Brands and companies explicitly encourage their customers to contribute content and turn it into a joint campaign. This is a media format that tends to appeal only to the younger generation. In terms of apps used, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are the frontrunners among young people. But it depends heavily on the motives for use. WhatsApp is mostly used for communication, while YouTube and TikTok are used for entertainment.

What do media offerings need to look like in order to meet the needs of the younger generation?

Händel: Companies need to be quick to convince young people. On platforms such as TikTok, people don’t spend much time engaging with content. Here, media offerings can address the three basic psychological needs of self-determination theory: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Autonomy means that I want to experience myself as a person and make my own decisions. The high degree of personalization of algorithms plays a major role in this, as it allows users to receive tailored offerings. It is important to design content that is appropriate for the platform. Short, visual, or interactive, and always designed for mobile formats. Competence means that I can demonstrate my abilities without being overwhelmed. This ties in with the basic need for social connectedness. This means enabling co-creation, dialogue, and participation. For example, through feedback, likes, or comments, challenges, surveys, and the integration of user-generated content.