SUMMARY HONORLOCK ASSIGNMENT Descriptiоn: Yоu will write а summаry оf а short article identifying the main idea and the most important supporting details. Purpose: This assignment serves as practice using sources as well as practice using the Honorlock Browser Extension with the side camera set-up. To that end, you will receive separate participation grades for the quality of your Honorlock set-up and the summary you produce. Length requirement: between 300 and 500 words Source requirement: The passage will be provided within the eCampus quiz. You do not need to provide citations for this assignment only, but you should use quotation marks around any direct quotations. Content: Because this assignment is so short, it will likely be formatted as a single paragraph that will: Identify the main idea (thesis) of the argument. Include any major sub-points the author uses to support their thesis. You will likely summarize the way they support their argument instead of sharing their specific data. (I.e. state that the author uses a story from their childhood instead of retelling the story) You will conclude with the main takeaway from the article. You may optionally choose to include the purpose or usefulness of the argument. Reminders: You will NOT provide your own opinion or additional information, merely restate the content of the original source. This is your only “on the spot” writing assignment, so rest assured that in the future you will have the opportunity to refine your work and get assistance from the Writing Center or your instructor. The use of any outside source or AI tool, included but not limited to Grammarly, ChatGPT, predictive text or translation tools. Violation of our scholastic integrity policies on this or any assignment will result in a grade of F. PASSAGE TO SUMMARIZE: "Has Social Media Made Young People Better Citizens?" by Touria Benlafqih There have never been as many young people as there are today. This is particularly true in Africa and the Middle East. Young people are a considerable asset to their countries, with a critical role to play in the political, social, economic and cultural landscape. Yet their potential is still untapped, and their contribution to their nations still hasn’t been fully realized: a large part of this young population remains uneducated, unemployed or uninterested. Youth is a pivotal period in a person’s life; it’s the bridge between childhood and adulthood. According to Erik Erikson’s stages of psychological development, each individual experiences a phase during which they search for their identity, a phase where they blend their identity with friends and want to fit in, and a phase of “generativity”, where they start wishing to build a legacy and guide the next generation. With that in mind, we understand that the very nature of youth is to be involved and contribute. It is quite difficult for me to believe the line that young people lack engagement in society nowadays. So why is it the case, then? There are various reasons why young people are less likely to be active citizens: the lack of effective communication between them and decision-makers, for example. Also, young people feel used instead of empowered, so they don’t easily embrace the “old school mindset” in doing things. Often, they lack information and don’t fully understand how political institutions, economic development, public services or social inclusion work – and nothing is more vital to a democracy than a well-informed electorate. Ten years ago, when I began working with young people, I was surprised to discover that many of them don’t know where or how to get started. They had dreams, energy and enthusiasm, but no proper knowledge of how to be active, and no proper guidance to channel that energy. Back then, the internet was a new concept in Morocco, and was still confined to a very limited population. A young person could only access information through traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers and magazines); and they could only find out about the activities of a political party or a public gathering for a social cause, through word of mouth, provided they knew the right people. Social media is the most adapted communication tool of today’s younger generation. It’s easy to see why: accessible and user-friendly, platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn let you create and showcase your personality, develop new contacts, discuss issues and keep in touch in real time. They allow you to read, analyse and share content without any prerequisites. Media is no longer the one-way communication channel as it used to be. With connected devices becoming ever more ubiquitous, questions can be answered and misunderstandings avoided. It has become easier to connect with people from different places and backgrounds: to benefit from their experience, to support a cause without being directly involved, to engage with organizations and movements, and to mobilize people in less time and with less cost. Working with young people in Morocco over the years, I have witnessed a change in how they engage: they have become better and more active citizens, in both a formal and informal way. Thanks to social media’s diverse platforms, young people can view content about their region, about influencers and decision-makers. They can participate in online petitions, join groups and talk to like-minded people on Facebook, contribute to the debate on Twitter, report an injustice on Instagram, or share videos and podcasts on Youtube. Social media fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, and young people can engage directly, not just as individuals, but as part of a community in their own personal way. While many young people in Morocco are engaged in social activities outside social media, youth engagement in “real-life” organizations, projects and awareness-raising is comparatively insignificant, and remains concentrated in major cities, where most government, civil-society and private-sector activity is focused. How can we help the momentum of online youth engagement spread to real-world local areas? We need to provide monitoring and funding for local initiatives, organize more events and training workshops, and attract more attention to civil-society activities in smaller cities, towns and villages. We need to create local success stories that inspire and drive young people, and which they can showcase on social media to inspire others. I believe that participation and engagement is a natural attribute of youth, and has been like this for as long as humanity and social interaction existed. Young people will continue to expand their contribution and participation for as long as they have the tools. Even though more than half of Morocco is connected to internet, more efforts have to be made in terms of youth mobilization and participation, in order to see this contribution growing exponentially towards a better, more inclusive world.