Exploring Digital Social Spaces as Third Places for Young People in Aotearoa New Zealand

<p><strong>The internet has fundamentally changed where social interactions occur, partially moving social places from material social spaces (MSSs) to digital social spaces (DSSs). Young people are among the most frequent users of DSSs, yet their use is frequently problematised from academic and public perspectives. These top-down critiques of young people’s behaviour have led to tensions between young users and legitimate criticisms of DSSs’ costs for wellbeing. Despite these critiques, literature on DSS use often does not consider how DSSs may act as the social places for young people today. In this thesis, I use Oldenburg’s (1989) third place theory to contextualise young people’s DSS use within frameworks of material sociality, addressing my core research question “to what extent may digital social spaces act as third places for young people?”. Using a mixed-methods social constructivist approach, including a survey and focus groups, this thesis examines how young people navigate DSSs, manage identity and relationships, and perceive the costs of DSS use. My analysis unpacks their experiences in the context of social development, addiction, and embodied experiences in DSSs. The results of this analysis demonstrate that young people’s digital third places are used to compliment, not compete with material third places. This thesis contributes to academic discourses surrounding young people’s use of DSSs and highlights the need for more nuanced approaches in policy and research. In particular, I encourage care when legislating restrictions on DSS use, and prioritising youth perspectives in future research.</strong></p>