Published: 2026-06-30

Young People in Digital Environments: A Theoretical Review of Disinformation, Online Communication, and Media Literacy

Monika Wojtkowiak Profil ORCID autora Monika Wojtkowiak
Seminare
Section: Articles
DOI https://doi.org/10.21852/sem.1888

Abstract

This article examines how digitalisation, disinformation, and online communication shape young people’s functioning in digital environments. Drawing on a theoretical review of selected literature on the information society, networked communication, and young people’s online practices, it analyses information overload, Big Data, algorithmic filtering, echo chambers, filter bubbles, fake news, and the reduced communicative cues of online interaction. The analysis indicates that digital technologies function not only as tools but also as social environments in which young people build relationships and identities. At the same time, exposure to fragmented, personalised, and manipulated information complicates source verification, trust, and responsible communication. The article identifies several pedagogical implications: the development of media and information literacy, critical evaluation of sources, awareness of algorithmic mechanisms, social and emotional competencies, responsibility for online speech, and digital hygiene. It concludes that technical proficiency alone does not protect young users against information disorder. Responsible participation in digital communication requires integrated cognitive, social, and ethical education.

Keywords:

online communication, disinformation, media and information literacy, algorithmic filtering, information overload

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Wojtkowiak, M. (2026). Young People in Digital Environments: A Theoretical Review of Disinformation, Online Communication, and Media Literacy . Seminare, 47(1). https://doi.org/10.21852/sem.1888

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