María del Carmen García Galera

Jóvenes comprometidos en la Red: el papel de las redes sociales en la participación social activa

This paper contributes to the analysis of the role that social networks play in civic, social mobilization and solidarity of Spanish young people, considering whether social networks are responsible for active social commitment off-line or if they just intensify an existing or previous tendency towards social participation. This research was undertaken by on-line questionnaire –Likert scale and multiple choice questions– in collaboration with the Spanish social network Tuenti where more than 1,300 young people took part. The results show significant percentages of participation exclusively on-line although there were more than 80% of young people, in a way or another, involved in actions to which they were called by social networks. The study analyzes the forms of participation in solidarity actions and the influence of factors such as geographical, social or emotional proximity to causes on the degree of participation on-line and off-line. The article shows that social networks have changed the meaning of participation. They are encouraging young people not mobilized away from social networks, to take action, so it proposes in its conclusions the need to overcome the dichotomy that opposes on-line and off-line activism and passivity.This paper contributes to the analysis of the role that social networks play in civic, social mobilization and solidarity of Spanish young people, considering whether social networks are responsible for active social commitment off-line or if they just intensify an existing or previous tendency towards social participation. This research was undertaken by on-line questionnaire –Likert scale and multiple choice questions– in collaboration with the Spanish social network Tuenti where more than 1,300 young people took part. The results show significant percentages of participation exclusively on-line although there were more than 80% of young people, in a way or another, involved in actions to which they were called by social networks. The study analyzes the forms of participation in solidarity actions and the influence of factors such as geographical, social or emotional proximity to causes on the degree of participation on-line and off-line. The article shows that social networks have changed the meaning of participation. They are encouraging young people not mobilized away from social networks, to take action, so it proposes in its conclusions the need to overcome the dichotomy that opposes on-line and off-line activism and passivity.Este trabajo analiza el papel que las redes sociales juegan en la movilizacion ciudadana, social y solidaria de los jovenes espanoles. El objetivo es observar si son responsables de que los jovenes activos online demuestren tambien su compromiso en la vida fuera de la Red, y si su predisposicion existente o no hacia la participacion, se intensifica a traves de estas redes sociales y en su respuesta offline. Para ello se desarrollo una investigacion online a traves de cuestionario –con preguntas en Escala de Likert y de eleccion multiple– en colaboracion con la red social Tuenti en la que participaron mas de 1.300 jovenes. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto porcentajes significativos de participacion solidaria exclusivamente online, si bien se observa que mas del 80% de los jovenes, de una u otra forma, participan en las acciones a las que se les convoca a traves de redes sociales. El estudio examina tambien las formas de participacion en acciones solidarias y la influencia de factores como la proximidad geografica, social o emocional sobre la participacion online y offline. Las redes sociales han cambiado el significado de la participacion, estan incentivando el compromiso y consiguiendo que jovenes que no se movilizaban fuera de ellas, pasen a la accion. Por ello propone entre sus conclusiones, la necesidad de superar la dicotomia que opone online y offline en el ambito de la participacion social.This paper contributes to the analysis of the role that social networks play in civic, social mobilization and solidarity of Spanish young people, considering whether social networks are responsible for active social commitment off-line or if they just intensify an existing or previous tendency towards social participation. This research was undertaken by on-line questionnaire –Likert scale and multiple choice questions– in collaboration with the Spanish social network Tuenti where more than 1,300 young people took part. The results show significant percentages of participation exclusively on-line although there were more than 80% of young people, in a way or another, involved in actions to which they were called by social networks. The study analyzes the forms of participation in solidarity actions and the influence of factors such as geographical, social or emotional proximity to causes on the degree of participation on-line and off-line. The article shows that social networks have changed the meaning of participation. They are encouraging young people not mobilized away from social networks, to take action, so it proposes in its conclusions the need to overcome the dichotomy that opposes on-line and off-line activism and passivity..Este trabajo analiza el papel que las redes sociales juegan en la movilizacion ciudadana, social y solidaria de los jovenes espanoles. El objetivo es observar si son responsables de que los jovenes activos online demuestren tambien su compromiso en la vida fuera de la Red, y si su predisposicion existente o no hacia la participacion, se intensifica a traves de estas redes sociales y en su respuesta offline. Para ello se desarrollo una investigacion online a traves de cuestionario –con preguntas en Escala de Likert y de eleccion multiple– en colaboracion con la red social Tuenti en la que participaron mas de 1.300 jovenes. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto porcentajes significativos de participacion solidaria exclusivamente online, si bien se observa que mas del 80% de los jovenes, de una u otra forma, participan en las acciones a las que se les convoca a traves de redes sociales. El estudio examina tambien las formas de participacion en acciones solidarias y la influencia de factores como la proximidad geografica, social o emocional sobre la participacion online y offline. Las redes sociales han cambiado el significado de la participacion, estan incentivando el compromiso y consiguiendo que jovenes que no se movilizaban fuera de ellas, pasen a la accion. Por ello propone entre sus conclusiones, la necesidad de superar la dicotomia que opone online y offline en el ambito de la participacion social.