They inform, entertain and bring people together… but they can also manipulate, divide and expose. In Cameroon, social media has become an inescapable part of daily life for young people. Between learning opportunities, digital entrepreneurship and freedom of expression, these platforms open up new horizons. This edition of PasSansElles looked at the impact of social media on young people in Cameroon, bringing together entrepreneurs, influencers and journalists.

Participants explained how these platforms allow them to promote their activities, share knowledge, reach a wide audience and build communities. Several examples showed that social media can encourage young people to express themselves, support marginalised groups and offer economic opportunities.

However, young people also point to the main pitfalls: addiction, disinformation, image and content piracy, social comparison and overexposure of private life. Some speakers regretted that many young people often favour purely entertaining content over educational or inspiring material.

Media literacy: the missing piece?

Guests stressed the need for digital education, responsible and conscious use of social media, and the importance of developing critical thinking when faced with information and content shared online. Their main message is that social media is neither good nor bad in itself: everything depends on how it is used.