From “likes” to fight: Children’s civic participation in social medias for the promotion of rights

Abstract

This work aims to reflect on the digital performance of seven Brazilian children (five girls and two boys) who produce content for the Internet, linked to education and the promotion and defense of rights. In order to reach the objectives, semi-structured interviews were carried out that dealt with the trajectories of these children, their involvement with the various fight agendas, as well as the strategies used to deal with the status of digital influencers. Added to this, a digital ethnography was carried out, in order to monitor the content produced by the children and the interaction with followers through digital platforms (Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok) for a period of 24 months. To support this investigation, studies in the field of Sociology of Childhood and investigations that address issues on cyberculture were used as a theoretical framework. The results allow us to understand that the presence of children on the Internet is not limited to the consumption and reproduction of contents supposedly exclusive to the children’s universe. In fact, children act, and in many moments they perceive themselves, as political subjects, that they aim at social transformation. The children discuss themes such as the importance of representation, the need for anti-racist education, female empowerment, as well as taking a stand against all forms of discrimination and exclusion. In this sense, the Internet, as a public space, enables the participation and involvement of children in relevant and current issues, also allowing their recognition as political actors.