Young people in Montenegro use Instagram the most, 93,4 percent, YouTube 82,5 percent, and TikTok 76,7 percent.
This was shown by a Juventas survey on the use of social networks among young people in Montenegro.
The research also showed that 46 percent of young people follow influencers, that 44 percent use networks to follow music content, while 31 percent follow meme pages and humorous content;
The research was conducted via an online questionnaire on a sample of 819 young people from Montenegro.
18 percent of young people spend more than five hours on social networks.
“These platforms are used daily for information and entertainment, but due to their excessive use, they also have the power to shape the attitudes of young people. According to research on social networks, among young people in Montenegro, influencers (content creators with greater influence), music and humor dominate in terms of content – 46 percent of young people on social networks follow influencers, 44 percent use social networks to follow music content, and 31 percent follow meme pages and humorous content. When it comes to the platforms to which young people are most exposed, Instagram (93,4%) is in first place, followed by YouTube (82,5%) and TikTok (76,7%),” Juventas announced.
Unlike traditional media, they add, social networks are not just a space where young people consume content, but also a space for building identities and adopting behavioral patterns of digital role models.
“This connection between young people and influencers is based on informal, personal and emotionally close communication, and therefore the influence of role models is greater than it was before. TikTok, Instagram and YouTube are three platforms that are based on video content, but each of these platforms has a different role in the everyday lives of young people. TikTok is most clearly linked to ‘scrolling’, impulsive entertainment and short attention spans. Instagram serves for visual representation of identities and following people and brands. YouTube has the most diverse content and can include both educational and informative use. These differences indicate that the needs of young people in terms of content consumption are not unique. Each platform has its own function, from quick entertainment, through visual self-presentation to more meaningful information and learning. Social networks are no longer just a part of everyday life, they actively shape it.”
The Juventasd statement also states that negative influencers are more clearly identified, which indicates the visibility of toxicity, ridicule, and provocation on social media.
“Conflicting influencers, provocative entertainment personalities, and personalities from the toxic Balkan influencer scene were named. For some respondents, negativity also includes political propaganda, and the responses referred to political figures from the region and Montenegro. Young people often do not single out individuals in their responses, but recognize negativity as a regional style of content or as a pattern of behavior (‘those who spread hatred’, ‘those who insult others’). Here too, there is a large number of respondents who are unable to name specific figures or simply refuse to know anything about such type of content,” it was announced.
The research also showed that negative content may not be quantitatively greater, but it leaves a stronger mark than socially beneficial content.
“This represents an important challenge for public policies related to the digital environment. If young people recognize negative role models much more easily than positive ones, it is necessary to work systematically on strengthening digital resilience, media literacy and promoting responsible content creators. This indicates that it is necessary to develop media and digital literacy programs that will help young people to critically evaluate the content they are exposed to, recognize manipulative communication patterns and understand the way in which social networks shape their everyday choices.”
Juventas emphasizes that it is necessary to encourage more responsible behavior among digital content creators and influencers, especially those who achieve a large reach among children and young people.
“Their influence should not be viewed solely through the number of followers, but also through responsibility for the values and patterns of behavior they promote. The digital space today represents an important part of our everyday lives. Therefore, the development of positive role models, strengthening media literacy and a more responsible digital environment are not just a matter of social networks, but also a matter of education, public policies and the protection of children and youth.”
The research was conducted within the project “Monitoring campaigns against gender equality and human rights in Montenegro, which have foreign influence”, with the financial support of the British Embassy in Podgorica.
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