From citizen identity to datafied life: rethinking media reliance in times of pervasive connectivity

Abstract Whereas media reliance is one of the classical concepts in media and communication studies, this article argues that deep mediatization imposes a renewed relevance of the term, as well as a need to develop a more nuanced framework for studying its social implications. Traditionally, media reliance was used to explain how people develop a citizen identity. Today, while connective media, datafication and AI have transformed what it means to be reliant on media, the very concept is marginalized and theoretically under-developed. Against this backdrop, the article starts out from an overview of how media reliance, and related terms, have been utilized in media research and then develops an analytical framework that accounts for different social modes and realms of media reliance. The matrix is implemented to crystallize blind spots in the research field and to highlight new types of questions that different research strands could address in times of pervasive connectivity.