CVEK

What do young people experience in the online space, and how do they cope with it? Online on the Edge (original title: Online na hrane) presents an analysis of seven focus groups with 50 young people from different parts of Slovakia. It builds on the quantitative study Radicalisation of Young People on the Internet, carried out by the agency 2muse for the Orange Foundation, and looks beneath the numbers: at how young people themselves describe the pitfalls of the online world.

The analysis shows that young people are not helpless. They understand how algorithms work and actively defend themselves: they set time limits, clean up their feeds, block and report content. Most of the time, however, they do this on their own, and therefore often fail. The publication maps content that sits on the edge of what is acceptable and beyond it – from humour that trivialises hatred or misogyny, through violent and extremist content, to radicalisation, which young people perceive mainly in their immediate surroundings. It also asks what young people need from adults, schools, platforms and the state. They do not have a clear view on banning social media, but they call for regulation of content and for support.

The publication includes twelve key messages from the focus groups, complemented by data from the quantitative research.

The publication is part of the project Youth and Radicalisation – Data and Experience as a Basis for Better Prevention, which we carry out with the support of the Orange Foundation.