Opportunities and risks in the process of socialization of modern adolescents in the medium of new media

The article presents the results of several studies that demonstrate the impact of new (digital) media on the socialization of adolescents. This article aims to show the problem of studying opportunities and risks in the process of communication of the younger generation in the online space. Researchers whose works are highlighted in this article pointed out the positive impact of new media, as well as pay attention to the following risks that teenagers face on the Web: negative information, cyberbullying, addiction from smartphones and laptops, Internet fraud, and personal data leakage. These and other factors induce the transformation of the psychological state of adolescents, change their consciousness, and correct behavior. To mitigate and eliminate the negative impact of digital media on adolescents, the author proposes to discuss preventive measures systemically, in the “government - society - media platform” paradigm, noting that the self-regulation of platforms is an essential tool for non-state influence on the situation. The author also notes the need for the formation of media literacy among teenagers and parents.