CRISIS OF THE DIGITAL GENERATION: Analysis of the Impact of Social Media and Strengthening Strategies through a Contextual Approach to Islamic Religious Education

Abstract

The development of social media has changed the way the digital generation acquires and understands religious teachings, which are now increasingly accessed through various digital content whose truth is not necessarily verified. However, this condition, which is not always balanced with adequate digital literacy, has the potential to cause value confusion and weaken students' faith. This study aims to analyze the impact of social media on the digital generation's faith crisis and formulate a strategy for strengthening faith through a contextual Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning approach. This study uses a qualitative approach with a library research type. Data were collected through documentation studies from various relevant literature sources. The results show that social media contributes to the faith crisis through several aspects, namely the plurality of unvalidated religious information, the shift of religious authority to digital media, and an instant culture that weakens the depth of religious understanding. In this context, strengthening faith needs to be done through contextual PAI learning by linking faith material to digital phenomena close to students' lives, such as flexing, digital footprints, instant da'wah content, the crisis of role models, cancel culture, and insecurity. A contextual approach enables students not only to cognitively understand the creed but also to internalize it in their attitudes and behaviors in the digital age. Thus, Islamic Religious Education (PAI) learning plays a strategic role in establishing the creed as a moral and spiritual foundation for critically and responsibly responding to the dynamics of digital life.