The Functions of Digital Media for Generation Z—Considerations Based on Our Own Research

Abstract

The aim of this article is to highlight the role of digital media in the lives of the younger generation based on an analysis
of qualitative research. I demonstrate this role through the prism of the functions that digital media perform in the everyday lives of adolescents, while also being an integral part of their activities. The results of research conducted
by the NASK State Research Institute clearly indicate a dynamic increase in the amount of time young people spend online. Compared to other age groups, this indicator is highest for adolescents. Intensive use of digital media is not without significance for this stage of development, influencing the processes of communication, knowledge acquisition, functioning in peer groups, and identity-building strategies. This is a consequence of widespread access to the Internet and the mobility of electronic devices. Technological changes and the process of media convergence, which involves the integration of various forms of communication and content, are changing not only the way information is received, created, and shared, but also the traditional functions of the media, while expanding their scope. The intensity of changes in media use and their role in the everyday experiences of adolescents raise questions about the functions that digital media perform for the younger generation. This article aims to present the functions of media in the lives of young people based on their own statements, collected through group interviews. I apply the characteristics of the network generation to the collected research material and relate them to Generation Z. The data obtained indicate that digital media are a tool for creativity and a source of inspiration for the younger generation, allowing them to express themselves and seek identification, providing a great deal of entertainment, and serving as a source of knowledge, but also a channel for misinformation. Young people are aware of the negative effects of excessive media use, express the need to develop tools or skills to verify the message, and recognize the specificity of negative group mechanisms occurring in the media.