Collective Privacy Sensemaking of Everyday Lived Experiences: A Study of Reddit and Discord Teen Communities

Teenagers regularly use social media to connect and share information with peers. While much existing research focuses on the adverse impacts of social media on teens’ privacy and well-being, little research has examined how teens’ privacy could be strengthened through participating in online peer communities. Through a qualitative analysis of conversations in two teen-oriented communities on Reddit and Discord, we explore how teens leverage storytelling and conversations with peers to unpack privacy dilemmas in their lives. Our findings highlight the potential of these online interactions to help teens cope with privacy violations, make sense of complex social matters, and nurture their sense of agency. We recommend platform design directions to explore the implications of collective sensemaking in peer-driven online contexts, and call for a broader conceptualization of youth privacy and research on privacy literacy.