Youth participation in the life of the city: a representation of digital practices

This article analyzes the participation of the young generation of a large industrial city in the development of the territory. It is argued that the involvement of young people in urban life is a marker of their civic position, indicating their readiness to be actively involved in social changes. With the digitalization of almost all spheres of public life, new trends are emerging in the transformative practices of the younger generation. Digital communications create a new reality for the younger generation, in which social distance is reduced and new systems of interaction are developing. The main goal of our study was to analyze the intensity, content, and evaluative orientation of the coverage of youth digital participation in the life of the city. Content analysis was used, and the empirical base was made up of materials published in June and December 2021 on the following media platforms: online publications «E1.RU Yekaterinburg Online» and «It’s My City», as well as online urban communities «Typical Yekaterinburg», «Youth Yekaterinburg» and «House of Youth». The materials of the study showed that the implementation of the right to the city by young people is most actively supported by «It’s My City», while the production of urban space has been updated on all media platforms. The most relevant topics discussed in the digital environment are culture and urban planning. The introduction of digital technologies forms the illusion of youth participation in the development and transformation of the urban environment, while it also becomes a means of promoting and creating urban projects.