Do young people display their social or ecological engagement on social networks freely?
What information do you share about your beliefs? The young people interviewed as part of our survey do not always give the same visibility to their engagement on social networks for several reasons.
Personally, do you feel that the content you post online is consistent with your beliefs?
YES
The search for consistency between your convictions and what you post on social networks is recurrent, but not always easy. Do you feel like you’re taking a risk by posting “engaged” content? You can read our article on the risks of engagement to learn more about what our respondents said about this.
NO
Some of our respondents expressed reluctance to post content that speaks to their beliefs. This is explained by an apprehension regarding the risks to which they may be exposed. If you want to learn more about this topic, you can read our article on engagement risks.
There would be, at least, three ways to make your commitment visible on social networks:
1. By sharing content on environmental issues.
By publishing content on the internet, through a personal account or on an environmental group, it becomes possible to raise awareness among Internet users on this subject. Several strategies are then put in place by our respondents to reach as many people as possible: make the posts attractive, use the notoriety of certain people on social networks to disseminate messages in favour of the environment or even use scientific sources to give added weight to their speeches.
2. By participating in the presentation of the ecological movement.
According to our respondents, the challenge of displaying commitment is to make the movement known to a wider audience. It is also a question of highlighting different ecological practices that can be applied in their daily lives and the collective actions in which it is possible to participate. The visibility of the ecological movement thus makes it possible to show its dynamism and the range of possibilities for action, both individually and collectively. In order to have a real impact, the moderators of certain Internet pages do not hesitate to adapt their speeches to the public they want to target. In addition, the posts are made attractive, aesthetic and intelligible for all in order to attract the attention of the reader.
3. By displaying one’s own individual actions and political opinions.
Some engaged people do not hesitate to expose themselves to make their engagement visible. They highlight the eco-responsible actions they take on a daily basis, take a stance online during exchanges and debates. They express their environmental sensitivity, and claim the identity of an engaged person.
The expression of one’s commitment sometimes passes through only one of the three ways mentioned.
And do you display your commitment on social networks by sharing content on environmental issues, by participating in the presentation of the ecological movement and/or by displaying your own individual actions and political opinions? Some individuals are concerned by the three forms of display of commitment, others by only two or even by a way of expressing their commitment on social networks. On the other hand, it is for everyone to find a coherence between their ecological values and their expression on social networks.
This can sometimes be complex when the engaged individual feels torn between the desire to expose his ecological convictions on social networks for reasons of consistency and the risks that this exposure can entail…
For further information
- Brunet, L. (2021) « #Flygskam : le pouvoir de la honte de prendre l’avion pour gouverner le changement climatique ». Lien social et Politiques, « Emotions et politique », n°86, pp.54-70. Online here.
- Ion Jacques, 1997, La fin des militants ?, Ivry-sur-Seine, coll. Enjeux de société, Éditions de l’Atellier Online here
- Lachance, J., & Przygoda, M. (2021). Scientific data in the ecological commitment of young people in the digital age. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 17(1), e2229. Online here