The media environment as a new format for the socialization of a teenager's personality

The socialization of the adolescent personality is a process undergoing transformation in the 21st century. The article explores the role of youth media as the foundation of media socialization for teenagers. The relevance of the article is due to the intense formation of the worldview and value system of the younger generation in the context of the digital environment, where teenagers are simultaneously consumers and creators of content. The adolescent age, associated with the search for one's own "self," the definition of value orientations, and place in society, is particularly sensitive to media influence. The impact of mass media on the formation of worldview, moral attitudes, and social identity of adolescents competes with the influence of traditional institutions—family and school. The aim of the research is to determine the role and effectiveness of youth journalism created by the adolescents themselves as a tool for their positive media socialization. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to address tasks aimed at analyzing the theoretical features of socialization in the media environment, identifying risks of media socialization among Russian teenagers, and developing a system of criteria for evaluating media texts. The theoretical foundation consists of concepts of media socialization, digital competence, and informational socialization. Using specific youth editorial examples (the "YUNPRESS" portal, the "Bolshaya Peremena" radio editorial, the "YOUMEDIA" magazine, the "Teledetki" project, and the "Okhtinsky Press Center") with the application of an author's system of criteria, the effectiveness of adolescent journalism is analyzed. The study proves that the creation of their own media texts effectively develops media competence, critical thinking, social responsibility, and professional self-determination of adolescents, serving as the basis for their positive integration into society. The integration of mass media into the educational process brings about the actualization of cognitive and educational activities, allowing for maximum use of interactivity and significantly enhancing the effectiveness of education. Thanks to media educators, a new generation is being prepared for life in modern informational conditions, for perceiving any information, understanding it, and interpreting it correctly, as well as realizing the consequences of its impact on the psyche. As a result, the necessity for systematic support and development of such media educational practices is substantiated. Support for youth media initiatives from the pedagogical community and civil institutions should be regarded as a strategic priority. Youth journalism acts not merely as extracurricular activity, but as a powerful adaptive mechanism that enables the transformation of digital socialization into a managed process of forming a mature, critically thinking, and morally resilient personality.