The rise of digital technologies is redefining how young people in Ziguinchor, a city in south-western Senegal, participate in the management of their city. Indeed, digital technology, as a new space for free expression, allows them to bypass conventional forms of citizen participation and, as a result, to make their voices heard more clearly. This new civic power in the hands of young people is leading to a new type of governance that is now horizontal and direct, particularly with tags to the relevant authorities. From a sociological point of view, the concept of empowerment makes it possible to account for the potential acquired by young people thanks to digital technologies. The purpose of this article combining sociological approach and web scraping, is to assess the extent of digital participation by this connected generation in the local governance of this medium-sized city, which has been affected by a desire for secession in the region known as the Casamance conflict, described as "low intensity", which began in the early 1980s and lasted for more than two decades, with all its consequences. This assessment was based on empirical data collected from 610 young people in 10 targeted neighbourhoods that fit a well-defined typology (well-off, mixed, peripheral or spontaneous), as well as web scraping of 1000 comments and posts on the main Facebook pages related to the city. Socialisation into digital citizenship from a cultural, social and political perspective was identified thanks to the intervention of local NGOs. The approach adopted combines a territorial analysis of the digital divide with a detailed examination of socio-demographic profiles and infrastructure contexts. The analysis focuses in particular on young people aged 18 to 24, both girls and boys, whether in education or not, according to the socio-spatial status of the neighbourhoods (residential and administrative, peripheral, working-class or informal). Young people make up more than half of the Senegalese population (75% are under 35, according to the latest census conducted by the National Agency for Statistics and Demography). To this end, the concept of empowerment can facilitate this comprehensive approach, enabling us to rethink participation, which becomes direct regardless of educational level and type of neighbourhood. Among the obstacles to full participation by young people in decision-making bodies are volunteering and strong intergenerational ties. 18-20 year olds do not have the same digital citizenship practices as 21-24 year olds.
