Social media as a double-edged sword: Influence on youth engagement in environmental activities

Youth’s ideas on sustainability and their motivation to engage in environmental activities have changed over time. With the rising penetration of mobile phones and internet, social media influencing has become a trend where they captivate their target audience through infotainment content. Thus, through viral campaigns, informational content, and virtual community formation, these media can inspire youth to participate in sustainability efforts. Meanwhile, there exists a dark side of the medium that contributes to misinformation, superficial activism, and lack of long-term environmental commitment. This paper explores both the beneficial and detrimental shades of social media on the youth engagement in environmental activities within the frame work of social influence theory and cultural participation theory. This paper can help environmentalists, corporates, and authorities improve their communication strategies effectively and create a long-term sense of commitment in youth towards sustainability.