“I Wish I was Wearing a Filter Right Now”: An Exploration of Identity Formation and Subjectivity of 10- and 11-Year Olds’ Social Media Use

Abstract

Social media use is changing the experience of socialization for younger children, as they are heavy adopters of these platforms despite the terms of service being 13 years of age. This research recruited eight Year 6 focus groups in four primary schools and employed a range of activities to explore their views surrounding social media. Results indicate that young children are aware of overt dangers, such as catfishing, but may experience negative subjective experiences when interacting on social media. This was particularly apparent in the discussions around Snapchat filters (digital overlays placed over photographs). It is necessary to address emotional resilience in response to this.