They inform, entertain, and bring people together—but they can also manipulate, divide, and expose. In Cameroon, social media has become an unavoidable part of daily life for young people. From learning opportunities and digital entrepreneurship to freedom of expression, these platforms open new horizons. This edition of PasSansElles explored social media’s impact on young Cameroonians, bringing together entrepreneurs, influencers, and journalists.

Participants explained how platforms help them promote their activities, share knowledge, reach a wide audience, and build communities. Several examples showed that social media can boost young people’s expression, support marginalized groups, and offer economic opportunities.

However, young people also pointed to major pitfalls: addiction, disinformation, image and content theft, social comparison, and overexposure of private life. Some speakers regretted that many young people often favor purely entertaining content over educational or inspiring material.

Media literacy and the road ahead

Guests stressed the need for digital education, responsible and conscious use of social media, and the importance of developing critical thinking toward information and content shared online. Their main message: social media is neither good nor bad in itself—it all depends on how it is used.