What’s Really Happening in the Group Chat

The group chat is not just a group chat.For young people, it is where friendships are built, plans are made, social status is negotiated, identity is tested, and harm can spread quickly. It is also one of the places where students encounter cruelty, exclusion, disinformation, antisemitism, and other forms of identity-based targeting — often away from adult view, but with real consequences for how they feel, learn, and show up in school and in life.In this episode of Boston Jewish Now, Spencer Cronin, JCRC’s Director of Educational Partnerships, speaks with Dr. Jill Walsh, sociologist, researcher, Boston University lecturer, and founder of Digital Aged. They unpack the social dynamics and parts of digital culture parents may not realize are shaping their children’s daily lives online.This conversation is part of JCRC’s broader K–12 work: helping schools understand the online culture shaping students’ lives, respond to antisemitism and identity-based targeting, and build safer, more inclusive school communities for Jewish students alongside all students.Digital spaces can help young people find belonging and connection, especially when they feel isolated offline. But chats, algorithms, viral content, and peer pressure can also normalize cruelty and make it much harder for students to push back when hate shows up.This episode offers families and educators a clearer way to understand the digital world young people are navigating, and practical guidance for talking with them about it so we can help shape healthier school communities and healthier teens.