Perceptions of girls and young women on the role of gender and social media conflict implicated in violence

Social media has changed the landscape of adolescence, altering how young people communicate and connect with peers. This study explores how young women of color living in marginalized neighborhoods perceive, manage, and make meaning of social media threats and conflict. Previous research shows that social media narratives tend to reify gender differences and devalue the experiences of conflict among girls and young women. Focus group discussions among 41 youth, living in a disinvested neighborhood of Hartford, CT, and participating in a development program for adolescents at risk for violence involvement, suggest that girls use social media platforms to define, negotiate, and meet their developmental needs and enhance their wellbeing. These adolescents are intentional in their choices to enter the social media world; they use social media to cultivate their identity, protect their reputation, manage relationships, or simply be seen and heard. While corroborating previous findings concerning perceptions of social media conflicts, these girls were not passive consumers of social media; they had a nuanced sense of this tool and used it to resist violence and benefit their image. Identifying adolescent insights about how particular social media features influence conflict is critical to creating effective interventions.