With the rapid development and widespread adoption of various media and digital technologies, the life experiences, social interactions, and modes of participation of adolescents are becoming increasingly intertwined with media. On one hand, adolescents can quickly adopt new media, using different platforms for self-expression, social interaction, and entertainment consumption; on the other hand, they face multiple challenges such as information overload, algorithmic recommendations, and privacy breaches. In an era of pervasive digital technology, the media experiences of adolescents not only reflect current social changes but also present new topics and challenges for communication research.
In daily life, adolescents use a wide range of media, including social media, instant messaging apps, gaming, streaming services, and various creative and learning platforms. These media provide important environments for self-expression and social comparison, and they facilitate the development of self-identity and self-concept through interactions with peers. However, during this process, adolescents also face pressures related to mental health and emotional adjustment, such as cyberbullying, hate speech, and body image anxiety. Balancing the promotion of adolescents' creativity, resilience, and social support while minimizing psychological risks has become an issue that cannot be overlooked in both academia and practice.
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent, the media environment for adolescents is undergoing unprecedented changes. AI tools enrich their forms of creativity and interaction, allowing adolescents to explore their identities and expand social connections. However, these technologies also come with risks of privacy invasion and surveillance. Therefore, cultivating adolescents' media literacy and critical thinking skills required in the AI era, enabling them to understand and reflect on their technological environment, has become an important research topic.
Moreover, the role of adolescents in public participation is increasingly emphasized. They not only express opinions through social media and digital platforms, mobilizing peers and initiating actions to showcase their generation's unique civic awareness and activism, but they also present more diverse and issue-oriented modes of participation, highlighting the importance of researching adolescents' public engagement.
Themes:
1. Youth Media Experiences and Psychological Development: Explore adolescents' media usage and experiences in daily life, as well as the role of media in their self-identity, self-concept, and moral development.
2. Media, Mental Health, and Health Literacy: Investigate the impact of media on adolescent health, including risk factors (such as cyberbullying, addiction, anxiety), positive effects (such as gaining social support, demonstrating creativity, and fostering resilience), and the cultivation of health-related literacy, including digital health literacy and media influence on body image and health behaviors.
3. Algorithms and Artificial Intelligence: Examine how algorithms and artificial intelligence shape adolescents' informational environments and interaction methods, while also reviewing challenges related to privacy and surveillance.
4. Media Use and Information Processing: Explore how adolescents confront and evaluate misinformation and disinformation in their media usage.
5. Youth Civic Engagement: Investigate the ways in which adolescents engage with public issues through media, and examine how online communities support their social connections and civic participation.
6. Entertainment Media and Consumption Behavior: Explore how adolescents shape their consumption habits in an entertainment-oriented media environment, including the roles of youth influencers, brand marketing, and fan communities.
7. Other Topics Related to Youth and Media Not Covered in the Above Categories.
Submission Guidelines:
1. Submissions are welcomed from Chinese-speaking scholars worldwide who are interested in the aforementioned topics. Position and location are not restricted.
2. Submission deadline: Please submit your manuscript via https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/comsoc by June 30, 2026.
3. Manuscript format: Manuscripts must be written in Chinese (in either traditional or simplified characters). Each submission should include the following sections: (1) Title in both Chinese and English; (2) Abstract in both Chinese and English; (3) Keywords in both Chinese and English; (4) Main text; (5) References. Please also include the author’s name, institutional affiliation, title, and email address. All manuscripts should strictly adhere to the journal’s formatting requirements. For details, please visit: http://www.cschinese.com/submission03.asp.
4. Length: Manuscripts should be between 12,000 and 18,000 Chinese characters.
5. Review process: All submitted manuscripts will first be subject to an initial review by the editorial board. Those passing the initial review will be sent for external peer review. The process for initial and first-round review generally requires 2–3 months.
6. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is not permitted.
