Social media use may reshape individuals' sense of facial and bodily identity, making it more flexible and blurring the boundaries between self and others, particularly for adolescents. Growing global concerns have led Australia to ban social media for under-16s, while France and Norway mandate disclosure of digitally altered images.
Neuroscience suggests identity is rooted in the body's integration of internal and external signals; disruption can lead to reliance on external cues like photos and reactions. Research by the Humane Technology Lab (HTLab) found that participants with more years of Instagram use were more likely to perceive ownership of a stranger's face in a virtual reality illusion, indicating increased plasticity in facial self-representation. This supports the Digital Erosion of Bodily Identity Hypothesis, suggesting repeated exposure to curated digital selves may weaken the integration of internal and external information. Younger generations, starting social media earlier, are developing identity in environments saturated with idealized digital representations, necessitating further research into long-term impacts.
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