Digital media engagement and literacy among UAE youth: A mixed-methods investigation of usage patterns and digital inequalities

The pervasive integration of digital media into youth lives demands a nuanced understanding of engagement patterns and literacy, especially within distinct sociocultural contexts like the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study examines how UAE adolescents navigate digital platforms, focusing on the interplay between structural access, motivational drivers and critical media-literacy competencies. Core research questions explore platform preferences, disparities in digital literacy and the influence of gender and age on media engagement and privacy attitudes. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, the study integrates quantitative data from a stratified sample of school students with qualitative insights from focus groups, interviews, netnographic observations and participatory workshops. The analysis is anchored in a theoretical framework combining Uses and Gratifications Theory (motivational drivers), Social Learning Theory (peer and familial influences) and an expanded Media Literacy Framework (critical skills). Findings highlight the dominance of video-centric social platforms over traditional media among UAE youth, shaped by peer dynamics and platform design. Yet a multifaceted digital divide persists, marked by gaps in access, uneven development of critical skills (notably algorithmic awareness and content attribution) and difficulty identifying manipulations like deepfakes. Gender-based differences are evident: males show higher interactivity, females show stronger privacy vigilance and older students show more advanced academic tool use. This study offers an empirically grounded perspective on digital inequalities in a non-western context and underscores the need for culturally responsive, age-appropriate media-literacy programmes. It calls for Arabic-language modules on algorithmic bias and peer-led workshops on ethical content creation to foster critical, equitable digital citizenship.