Understanding youth participation in social media challenges: A scoping review of definitions, typologies, and theoretical perspectives
Open accessAbstract
Social Media Challenges (SMCs) have become more diverse and seemingly more extreme, with certain dangerous challenges causing immediate harm to participants and capturing the attention of media outlets and academics. Children and adolescents are the most at-risk groups, often engaging in these challenges without fully understanding the consequences. Nevertheless, most existing research and reporting on SMCs are driven by specific cases or phenomena. Thus, we conducted a scoping literature review of 66 studies that capture the breadth of the research field. Our review provides several critical insights. First, we identify a pronounced absence of theoretical grounding in the current literature, which we attribute to a focus on single-case and exploratory studies that often lack prior theoretical reasoning. This results in scattered and inconsistent descriptions of SMCs. This underscores the urgency of establishing a unified definition and a robust conceptual framework to explain the varied nature of SMCs. Second, the existing research predominantly fixates on the negative aspects of SMCs, narrowing the scope of analysis and overlooking the diverse intents and potential positive outcomes of engaging with SMCs, especially for young individuals. We propose a consolidated conceptualization of SMCs, providing a unified definition that captures their multifaceted nature. We introduce a typology to evaluate various SMCs, their underlying intents, and potential consequences, underscoring the necessity of considering a spectrum of SMCs—spanning positive, neutral, and negative—to fully comprehend the potential benefits and risks associated with participation. Our work aims to lay a theoretical groundwork for future research and practical interventions.
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Social media challenges have become a well-known and documented phenomenon within digital culture, particularly among younger users on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
“Social media challenges (SMCs) have become a well-known and documented phenomenon within digital culture, particularly among younger users on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube (Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024).”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
The Introduction describes social media challenges as attracting global attention, particularly among young users, and discusses TikTok; it also gives an example on YouTube. Our copy does not substantiate Instagram as one of the platforms in the claim (searched: Instagram). (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe study proposes an integrated definition of SMC as a participatory digital phenomenon that includes an explicit or implicit invitation for individuals or groups to engage in a specific task, performance, or creative action.
“Following a review of dozens of definitions from various studies (see Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024), this study adopts and proposes an integrated definition of the Social Media Challenge (SMC) as a participatory digital phenomenon that includes an explicit or implicit invitation for individuals or groups to engage in a specific task, performance, or creative action.”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
The citation supports the statement that Kobilke and Markiewitz reviewed studies about SMC definitions, but not that they reviewed dozens of definitions: §3.1 says only 15 of the 66 papers provided a definition. The citing sentence presents the integrated definition as its own proposal, rather than attributing that wording to Kobilke and Markiewitz. (LLM, conf=0.88)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredUnlike historical challenges, which were often limited to small groups or private interactions, digital challenges are widely shared, engaging vast audiences and fostering collective participation.
“Unlike historical challenges, which were often limited to small groups or private interactions, digital challenges are widely shared, engaging vast audiences and fostering collective participation (Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024).”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
Section 3.1 contrasts the slower, word-of-mouth spread of past challenges with the unparalleled reach and swift dissemination of digital challenges. The Introduction also describes online challenges as content designed for others to replicate, supporting shared participation. The copy does not establish that historical challenges were generally limited to small groups or private interactions. (LLM, conf=0.84)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThere is a gap in the conceptual, historical, and theoretical exploration of social media challenges, despite many empirical studies focusing on their content and impact.
“While many empirical studies focus on the content and impact of such challenges, there is limited literature that examines these phenomena conceptually.”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
SMCs involve an invitation for individuals to engage in activities visible to a broad audience.
“Despite the diversity in these definitions, the common denominator among them is the idea that SMCs involve an invitation for individuals to engage in activities visible to a broad audience.”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
Social media challenges play a significant role in shaping social interactions and have broader cultural influence.
“This emphasizes the significant role of SMCs in shaping social interactions and their broader cultural influence (Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024).”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
An SMC is an activity designed to stimulate public engagement and participation, often through digital visual content that is easily shared and replicated across social media platforms.
“At its core, an SMC is an activity designed to stimulate public engagement and participation, often through digital visual content that is easily shared and replicated across social media platforms (Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024).”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
Various studies have examined SMCs, each offering different definitions.
“Various studies have examined SMCs, each offering different definitions.”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
The rise of the Internet and social media has profoundly transformed challenges, shifting them from localized or private events into global participatory experiences.
“Thus, the rise of the Internet and social media has profoundly transformed challenges, shifting them from localized or private events into global participatory experiences.”
From Social media challenges as an intersection between Internet memes and traditional challenges: a conceptual analysis (2026) · cites this paper as Kobilke and Markiewitz, 2024
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References 64 · Cited by 12
Research works printed but not linked: 13
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- Authors
- Kobilke, L., & Markiewitz, A.
- Affiliations
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Kobilke, Lara
- Venue
- Computers in Human Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2024-08
- Volume
- 157
- Pages
- 108265
- ISSN
- 0747-5632 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4394824141
- Cited by
- 12
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2
- FWCI
- 8.64
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Computers in Human Behavior (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Open access LMU (Ludwid Maxmilian's Universitat Munchen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Literacy, Media, and Education
- Keywords
- social media challenges, youth participation, children and adolescents, conceptual definitions, theoretical approaches, positive and negative outcomes, harm to participants, conceptual framework
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