Youth voices in the digital era: Why participation matters more than ever
Bojan Kordalov, Director of Policy and Communication at the European Centre of Excellence (ECE Brussels), official photo
This is a post by Bojan Kordalov, Director of Policy and Communications at the European Centre of Excellence (ECE Brussels) and a Senior EU expert in strategic communication, EU visibility, digital transformation and AI literacy, originally written for PulseZ. He has over 20 years of experience in EU visibility, public relations campaigns, and strategic consultancy. Bojan is currently serving as a Director for policy and communication at the European Centre of Excellence (ECE) in Brussels.
Youth participation has never been more visible. Across digital platforms, young people discuss public issues, mobilise peers, create content and challenge dominant narratives. Yet visibility does not automatically translate into influence. In Europe’s rapidly evolving digital environment, the central challenge is not whether young people are present, but whether their participation meaningfully shapes decisions.
As digital platforms and algorithmic systems increasingly mediate public debate, participation itself is being redefined. This shift requires institutions, policymakers and civil society to rethink how democratic engagement works in practice.
This institutional reflection builds on an article by Bojan Kordalov, first published on PulseZ, and explores why youth participation in the digital era must be treated as a core democratic issue, not a symbolic gesture.
Digital spaces as new arenas of participation
For many young Europeans, digital platforms function as the primary public space. Social media, online communities and collaborative digital tools are where opinions are formed, campaigns are organised and civic identities are developed.
Young people use these spaces to:
translate complex policies into accessible language
mobilise around social, environmental and digital rights issues
build peer networks that cross borders and institutions
However, participation in digital spaces often remains disconnected from formal decision-making processes. When digital engagement is not recognised as legitimate input, a gap emerges between lived civic experience and institutional democracy.
Algorithms, AI and the question of influence
Participation today is shaped not only by human interaction, but also by algorithms and artificial intelligence. These systems determine what content is amplified, what remains invisible and which voices gain traction.
Understanding this dynamic is essential. Without digital and AI literacy, young people may be present online without real influence. With these skills, digital tools can become instruments for strategic engagement rather than passive consumption.
This is why participation in the digital era cannot be separated from broader questions of literacy, transparency and accountability.
Photo credit: Pixabay
Beyond visibility: participation that builds trust
Meaningful participation goes beyond likes, shares or short-term campaigns. It requires sustained engagement, co-creation and dialogue.
Across Europe, young people are increasingly organising through structured digital communities, civic tech initiatives and data-driven projects. These forms of participation often demonstrate a level of organisation and commitment that exceeds traditional consultation mechanisms.
Trust grows when participation is:
continuous rather than occasional
recognised rather than symbolic
connected to real outcomes rather than isolated actions
