“If I weren’t an activist, I’d buy an old Nokia and I’d be OK”: Youth wellbeing, digital media, and activism

For youth activists, digital media are a central tool for awareness raising and mobilisation. At the same time, the pressure to be constantly connected and the negative responses one can encounter through social media, can be significant stressors on youths’ wellbeing. Drawing upon a year-long critical comparative ethnographic research project with Fridays For Future youth climate justice activists in Czechia and Hungary, this paper analyses the multifaceted role of digital media in youth activists’ wellbeing. On one hand, youth activists encountered varied psychological, social, and physical challenges connected to digital media use, which caused stress and contributed to burnout. On the other hand, they individually and collectively developed diverse coping strategies and mechanisms, as well as digital literacy, which were supported by the movement’s community of activists. This in turn strengthened their resilience and positively contributed to their wellbeing. Ultimately, the youth activists’ wellbeing appeared to rely on their own ability to constantly balance between the many challenges encountered related to digital media use for activism, and the resources required to deal with these challenges. Our findings carry important implications for supporting youth activists’ wellbeing.