Policy Brief: Challenges for Politics and Education for Youth and Media in Europe

New rapidly developing technologies and digitalization shape and change social institutions and behaviours, habits and ways of connecting, learning and seeking information. These changes have an impact on each European citizen’s life, particularly young generations. With limitless exposure and access of young people to sources of information , whether online news or social media, the important question is to what extent society fulfils the informational needs of young people. Moreover, in which ways it encourages systemic responses within the context of misinformation, suspicion, and manipulation on the one hand and critique, scepticism and enquiry on the other. What role do public service media as an institution assigned with specific civic responsibilities towards democratic governance play in this process. Most importantly, how should media education be revisited, so that young generations (16 to 25 years old) understand technological architectures beyond interface and use media technologies and content in the way that is beneficial and empowering.