Young adults are coming of age in a financial environment that is markedly different from that of previous generations: digital, fast-paced, and increasingly shaped by platforms and AI. This webinar will explore five key domains transforming young people’s financial lives: the hustle economy, finfluencers, online financial communities, new forms of credit and lending, and high-risk retail investing and gambling. Together, these trends reveal the emergence of a participatory, yet precarious ecosystem in which financial products are woven into everyday digital culture and economic decisions blur with entertainment and identity.
The online event is a launch of a report drawn from the initial findings of the Financial Lives in a Networked Generation (FLiNG) project, led by UVA associate professor Lana Swartz with postdoctoral research associate, Max Brichta. Join us for a discussion about the report’s key findings and what they mean for financial literacy, young adult well-being, and the broader implications for democracy in a financial system increasingly mediated by digital platforms. FLiNG is funded by the Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment (TYDE) UVA Grand Challenge with additional support from the Digital Technology for Democracy Lab.
The session will be recorded for those who cannot attend live – make sure to register to receive notification when the video is available to view. The FLiNG report will be available for download here on April 1, and a link will be sent to all registrants.
