Redes sociais e juventudes do ensino médio: uma análise exploratória da percepção dos estudantes do ensino médio de São Luís - MA

Abstract

The need to understand how young people, immersed in the digital world, shape their socialization processes calls for academic studies and research that explain this landscape of fluid ties and constant connectivity. The topic is significant due to the profound transformations digital technologies bring to behavioral patterns, social interactions, and educational processes. This research aims to analyze the influence of social networks on youth sociability from the perspective of high school students; to this end, it addresses the sociology of youth through the views of Abramo (1994, 1997, 2009), Groppo (2017), and Dayrell (2003, 2016, 2021), among others. Sociability in the virtual environment is analyzed from the perspectives of Bauman (2003, 2007, 2021, 2026), Debord (2003), Baudrillard (1991), and Maffesoli (1998), among others. Network dynamics and the power of algorithms are discussed based on the studies of Recuero (2009) and Pariser (2012). In the educational field, the study is guided by the BNCC (National Common Curricular Base). The methodology employs an exploratory approach, with quantitative data analysis. A semi-structured online questionnaire (survey) consisting of 32 questions (via Google Forms) served as the data collection instrument; it was administered to a purposive sample of 239 students from four state public schools in São Luís, Maranhão. Data were processed using descriptive statistics and visualized through Excel charts, without the inclusion of qualitative texts or personal testimonials. The conclusions indicate that "youth" is a sociological concept undergoing constant reconstruction; it is neither natural nor universal, as it carries values and symbolic uses specific to each context. The school serves as an essential space for transforming young people from passive consumers of data into active, critical subjects. However, there is an observable asymmetry in access to technological resources and quality connectivity that reflects historical socioeconomic inequalities, particularly among lower-income populations. Social networks establish new forms of social interaction with potential implications for youth behavior and mental health, and social-media-mediated interaction has implications for traditional agents of socialization, especially educational institutions.