Empowering Gen Z Parents through Digital Literacy Pedagogy: A Model for Navigating Parenting Advice on Social
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20262525Keywords:
digital literacy, social media parenting, Generation Z, parenting advice, media literacy educatioAbstract
Introduction: Social media platforms have become primary sources of parenting advice for Generation Z parents, yet their digital literacy skills in evaluating such content remain poorly understood. This study aimed to explore how Gen Z parents engage with parenting advice on social media, examine how digital literacy pedagogy influences their content evaluation abilities, and identify components for an effective digital literacy model.
Method: A qualitative case study design was employed with 18 Gen Z parents aged 20-30 from West Sumatra, Indonesia, using semi-structured interviews, content mapping, and digital behavior observation. Thematic analysis revealed three key findings: participants demonstrated sophisticated platform-specific engagement strategies but relied on "relatability" rather than traditional credibility markers; digital literacy levels varied significantly, with context-specific blind spots even among technically proficient users; and participants desired community-based verification systems combining peer wisdom with expert oversight.
Results: The study challenges assumptions about digital nativity automatically translating to parenting-specific digital literacy, revealing that even digital natives require targeted support for evaluating social media parenting content. The findings suggest that effective digital literacy interventions must be domain-specific, ongoing, and incorporate collective intelligence approaches rather than focusing solely on individual critical evaluation skills.
Conclusions: This research contributes a novel theoretical framework emphasizing authenticity-based trust evaluation and community verification systems, providing practical implications for educators, policymakers, and digital platform designers seeking to support informed parenting decisions in social media environment.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lili Dasa Putri, MHD. Natsir, Muhamad Fahrur Rozi, Triave Nuzila Zahri, Tri Assifa Chandra Defi, Ciptro Handrianto (Author)
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