Friday Nov 14th at 9–12 (hybrid session)
Chairs: Heta Mulari & Nadezhda Vasileva, Tampere University
(Hybrid session, both on-site and online)
During the past decades, (short) video platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have rapidly increased their popularity among young audiences (Newman et al. 2023, 27–28). Initially viewed primarily as entertainment and a leisure activity, short videos have become a primary means of communication and sharing news, politics, opinions, and cultural trends among young people. This session contemplates the role of short videos in young people’s lives as those who are both influencers and a target of influence on digital platforms. We welcome empirical research that seeks to answer questions about how young people use short video platforms in their everyday lives and for cultural and political expression, as well as how social media reflect, remake, and challenge societal trends, norms and values. Moreover, to contribute to the development of theory and method, this section encourages researchers to explore the short video format as a distinctive mode of communication with its own aesthetics, rules, narratives and styles. Thus, we invite scholars to reflect on what distinguishes the multimodal short audiovisual form from other forms of expression, and how short videos and the video platforms should be examined. The proposals may also discuss the methodological possibilities of using short video at different stages of the research: data collection, analysis, and dissemination. Finally, the session aims to discuss the ethical issues that researchers encounter in the field of audiovisual social media research. We welcome all reflections about difficulties and concerns related to video copyrights, obtaining informed consents, and informing users about the research, gathering data, digital platform policies etc.
Friday 14th at 9.00–10.20
”You can reach really many young people there, because I think all young people use TikTok”: Young People’s Perceptions about Science Communication Regarding Adverse Childhood Experiences
Venla Hakala, Tampereen yliopisto
Heta Mulari, Tampereen yliopisto
Effectively communicating research findings to young people is a complex and timely challenge—especially when addressing sensitive topics such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The presentation is based on a qualitative study, which explored young people’s perspectives on science communication, focusing on how ACE-related research can be shared in ways that are both informative and ethically sound. Drawing on qualitative data from workshops and interviews with 13–17-year-olds (N = 210), the findings reveal that social media platforms—particularly TikTok—are preferred channels for receiving research content, especially in short video formats. Participants demonstrated a nuanced ability to assess the reliability, tone, and presentation of such content. Schools also emerged as important venues for science communication, with many young people expressing a desire for researchers to visit classrooms and engage directly with students. Importantly, the study highlights that in the attention economy, science communication about difficult topics should emphasize hope, empathy, and the potential for positive change.
Studying online othering in TikTok (without informed consent): ethical issues and methodological solutions
Elina Vaahensalo, Tampereen yliopisto
In my research, I have explored how young people articulate different forms of otherness within social media cultures such as TikTok, and how practices of othering are also resisted and deconstructed in social media content. Studying TikTok cultures can provide valuable insights into young people’s world and values as well as the strengths and vulnerabilities connected to them. However, from a researcher’s perspective, studying social media content involves many ethical pitfalls.
This presentation discusses examples from my own work, where I have addressed these challenges through the use of an ethnographic field diary: rather than saving or copying actual content, I record my observations exclusively in diary form, ensuring that individual content creators remain unidentifiable.
My approach to data collection can be seen as potentially contentious, as I have not obtained informed consent from the content creators whose material I have observed. On a practical level, it would be impossible – or at the very least highly laborious – to ask permission from every content creator or commenter, and it is unlikely that young people would agree to their content being studied, especially if it involves controversial issues such as racism or homophobia.
The presentation explores the ethical dilemma of having to balance the necessity and societal significance of the research with the responsibility to protect research participants, asking questions such as: What kind of methodological approaches can be employed to examine social media content in situations where obtaining informed consent is not feasible? How can the researcher minimize harm to young people whose content is observed? On what grounds can such research be ethically justified?
By addressing these questions, the presentation contributes to ongoing discussions on ethical strategies for studying young people’s digital cultures—cultures that are difficult to access, but nevertheless remain crucial subjects of research.
Epistemologies of short audio-visual form and TikTok knowledge production
Nadezhda Vasileva, Tampere University
Heta Mulari
Over the past few decades, digitalisation has drastically transformed societies, thereby reflecting and affecting everyday life, communication, as well as diverse socio-political and economic processes. Increasing popularity of (short) video platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts have made a short video a dominant form of public communication, especially if the audience is young people. Short videos are used to discuss various topics, ranging from entertainment to political participation, combining image/graphic elements, sound, and text, framed by platform-specific affordances , and packed into an increasingly compressed format, curated by the logic of algorithms (Kallio & Mäenpää, 2025; see also Hand, 2017). The audio-visual form makes the expression and messages thoroughly embodied, thereby increasing their potential for emotional influence on the audiences, their engagement and mobilization (Ahmed 2004).
Drawing on empirical data from two digital ethnographic case studies that also include in-depth interviews with content creators (TikTok narratives of migrants, living in Finland; and feminist expressions and aesthetics on TikTok) this presentation discusses how young people document their opinions and everyday life, using a short audio-visual form. On the one hand, the research explores how young people utilize a wide range of interconnected modes inherent to short audio-visual form (texts, videos, sounds, graphic elements, etc.) to craft their messages. On the other hand, the presentation contemplates the way young people navigate the politics of platform (Nieborg & Poell, 2018) that frame and govern public communication on TikTok. In other words, this project aims to reflect in which ways young people’s creativity actualizes and becomes curated and standardized by the platform affordances and algorithms, and, also, whether it’s possible to disturb the algorithm and audiovisual standards?
The presentation is part of the research project TikTok (Anti) Democracies: Self-making, Skepticism, and Political Expression among Young People (TikTokCracy), funded by the Kone Foundation.
Break: 10 minutes
Friday Nov 14th at 10.30–12.00am
TikTok and The Production of Political Identities Among the Gen Z in Kenya
Martins Kwazema, Nordic Africa Institute
TikTok has been fundamental in the evolution of leaderless mobilization and civic participations among young people on Kenya. At the same time, this form of leaderlessness facilitated by TikTok and X also generates new forms of State violence against young people in Kenya. This presentation attempts to tackle this Janus-faced phenomenon by analyzing the mechanics behind TikTok and its socio-technological affordances as agency in the production of new political identities in Kenya.
The GenZee Badie Generation: Afro-Pop Music, Sex and African Moral Values
Tairu Abiodun Olukayode
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria
In recent years, the African music scene has been abuzz with the rise of Gen Z artists, who are redefining the sound, style, and sensibilities of Afro Pop music. This new wave of musicians, exemplified by the likes of Tiwa Savage, Wizkid, and Davido, has not only captured the hearts of young Africans but also sparked intense debates about the intersection of music, sex, and African moral values.
The GenZee Badie generation, in particular, has been at the forefront of this cultural shift, embracing a more liberal and expressive approach to music, sex, and relationships. However, this shift has also raised concerns among older generations, who worry that the explicit content and suggestive lyrics of modern Afro Pop music are eroding traditional African moral values.
This study seeks to explore the complex dynamics between Gen Z, Afro Pop music, sex, and African moral values by examining the lyrics, music videos, and cultural context of popular Afro Pop songs, the study will delve into the ways in which this music reflects and shapes the values, attitudes, and behaviours of young Africans. Ultimately, the study aims to spark a nuanced and informed conversation about the role of music in shaping African cultural identity and moral values in the 21st century.
The study adopts Content Analysis to analyze the lyrics and music videos of popular Afro Pop songs to identify themes, motifs, and patterns related to sex, relationships, and identity.
Together for healthy media: Youth, online radicalization, and resilience in Slovakia and Czechia
Ema Brunovská, Slovak youth council
Digital spaces play an increasingly central role in the lives of young people, offering opportunities for participation but also exposing them to disinformation, toxic interactions, and radicalising narratives. This paper presents findings from the project Together for Healthy Media (Youth@MEDIAGRAM), a Slovak–Czech partnership supported by Erasmus+, which explores how young people encounter and interpret such risks.
We combine several strands of evidence. A large-scale content and sentiment analysis of over half a million Facebook comments showed that around one in seven (13.8%) were toxic, with negativity dominating across political and identity-related discussions. Aggressive and hostile language frequently targeted politicians, minorities, or opposing viewpoints, reinforcing “us versus them” dynamics and normalising antagonism in public debate.
In addition, focus groups with young people aged 15–29 revealed that participants frequently encounter extremist or misleading content, particularly on TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. While many described strategies of ignoring or reporting problematic material, others admitted uncertainty about verification and noted the strong influence of peers and online personalities compared to teachers or journalists. Feelings of loneliness, identity struggles, and algorithm-driven exposure emerged as perceived pathways towards radicalisation.
Finally, the project includes a representative survey of approximately 1000 young people in Slovakia and Czechia. This survey is currently in the field, and its results will be presented for the first time at the conference. It will allow us to assess how widespread the observed patterns are and identify key predictors of vulnerability and resilience among youth populations.
By combining digital analysis, qualitative insights, and representative data, the study offers a comprehensive view of youth and radicalisation in Central Europe. The paper will conclude with implications for youth work, education, and policy aimed at strengthening resilience and agency in the digital sphere.