Sujet : Veille politique des jeunes sur les réseaux sociaux au Bénin, quels impacts pour quels résultats?

In the context of Benin’s gradual democratic transition, social media platforms have significantly reshaped how young people engage politically. Representing over 60 % of the national population, youth have found in these digital spaces a privileged arena for political monitoring, defined as the strategic collection, analysis, and dissemination of information related to political actors and decisions. This transformation raises major challenges for democratic consolidation and civic participation. Political monitoring is understood as a strategic activity of surveillance and interpretation of the political environment, enabling individuals and organizations to anticipate legislative and regulatory developments and adapt their strategies accordingly. Drawing on the work of Benoît Suire and Patrick Schoch, the article highlights the importance of monitoring in managing political risk, emphasizing the need for both long-term anticipation and immediate responsiveness to institutional and discursive shifts. Youth are not defined solely by age (typically 12–25 years), but as a socially constructed phase marked by transitions, leaving school, entering the workforce, gaining residential autonomy, and forming families. Sociologist Olivier Galland enriches this perspective by framing youth as a dynamic category shaped by societal expectations and structural transformations. Social media platforms serve as tools for political monitoring by allowing young people to bypass traditional media filters, access a plurality of sources, and participate in public debates that were previously inaccessible. However, this form of engagement is not without limitations: the spread of misinformation, the superficiality of algorithm-driven interactions, and the difficulty of translating digital activism into concrete civic action. Ultimately, while social media enhance the capacity of youth to engage in political monitoring, the effectiveness of this engagement depends on their ability to critically navigate digital environments. Political monitoring is not merely about accessing information it requires discernment, strategic awareness, and informed participation in democratic life.