Youth Culture and Digital Trends

Abstract This paper examines contemporary youth culture in the digital era, focusing on how digital platforms, practices, and technologies shape identity formation, sociality, political engagement, and consumer behavior among young people (aged ~15–29). Combining a critical literature review with a mixed-methods research design (online survey, in-depth interviews, and digital trace analysis), the study documents prevailing digital practices (short-form video, streaming, memes, influencer culture), maps patterns of platform use, and analyses implications for mental health, civic participation, and cultural production. Findings indicate that digital affordances intensify both individualization and peer-oriented identity experimentation, create new forms of creative labor and micro-influence economies, and reconfigure political expression (from hashtag activism to performative solidarity). The paper concludes with theoretical implications for youth studies, policy recommendations for education and mental health, and avenues for future research.