Social media and identity | Solutional Webdesign Antwerpen

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Social media^[2] is a digital tool that allows people to create, share, or exchange information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks. It plays a crucial role in the lives of young adults by influencing their identity formation and self-presentation. Social media platforms provide a space where young adults can explore different identities and expressions, and also impact their body image perceptions. Despite the opportunities it offers for identity construction, social media use can lead to issues such as body dissatisfaction and desire to change physical features. Media literacy^[1], which involves understanding, applying, and sharing digital content, is considered essential to educate young adults about potential online risks and to prepare them to navigate the digital world safely. Studies are increasingly focusing on understanding the impact of social media on young adults’ identity development, self-presentation, and body image concerns.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ Media literacy ( Media literacy ) Media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media in all its forms. It involves understanding the role of media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy. Media literacy education, provided by organizations like UNESCO, UNITWIN Cooperation Programme, UNAOC, and GAPMIL, aims to equip individuals with tools and skills to critically analyze different types of media and messages. It has a profound impact on individuals, raising awareness about manipulation, propaganda, and bias in media, while empowering citizens to contribute to public discourse and make informed decisions. The field is constantly evolving, incorporating elements of social networks, big data, and artificial intelligence. It is now a global movement with varying degrees of integration into the education systems of different regions.

2. ↑ Social media ( Social media ) Social media is a broad term encompassing a variety of digital tools and platforms that facilitate the sharing of information and the creation of virtual communities. Emerging from early systems like PLATO and ARPANET, it has evolved into modern platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These platforms offer unique features that differentiate them from traditional media, including the ability for users to generate content and engage in dialogic communication. They cater to over 100 million users globally and offer different forms of services, such as messaging apps and collaborative content creation platforms. The use of social media has far-reaching impacts on individuals, society, and businesses, influencing everything from marketing practices to political processes. However, it's also associated with ethical concerns, such as the spread of misinformation and potential addiction.

Social media and identity (Wikipedia)

Social media can have both positive and negative impacts on a user's identity. Psychology and Communication scholars study the relationship between social media and identity in order to understand individual behavior, psychological impact, and social patterns. Communication within political or social groups online can result in practice application of those identities or adoption of them as a whole. Young people, defined as emerging adults in or entering college, especially shape their identities through social media.

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