ABSTRACT
Young people spend a significant amount of time with technology, particularly digital and social media. But how do they make meaning about their online lives? How do they experience the many influences of social media? What are the challenges and opportunities they navigate in living online? This book poses answers from a decidedly interdisciplinary view. It begins in a framework that is steeped in history, biography, and societal influences to unpack ways in which digital technology matters to the social lives of youth. It places these perspectives alongside those of interdisciplinary scholars and commentators. In the process, we discern a clearer understanding of what young people are up against in navigating the digital age. How do the tensions and contradictions evident in the relationship between youth and technology play out against the backdrop of the rapidly emergent digital age? This introductory chapter provides an overview of the analysis and approach to the book that is based on narratives and experiences of 185 young voices who spoke about the meanings of technology in their lives and shared their social media activity.
