By Aria Kazi,
Nowadays Teenagers continuously scroll on social media with the following on their mind: likes, views, followers and basically the idea of how the public perceives them, especially through social media. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are often criticised for being on their phones and doomscrolling all day and being driven by inescapable algorithms, but they never question whether mental health has to do with it. One of the main questions: are we witnessing the same ideas that previous generations were concerned about, or is it different this time?
Engrossed in Social Media
It is said that Gen Zand Gen Alpha are on social media for more than nine hours per day. This might already be the answer to “Do the younger generations have no social skills?” It has been found that the younger generation is constantly on screens, which limits conversation in the real world. As a Gen Z member myself, I can attest that conversations often divert to what we have seen or heard through social media. Gen Z specifically is the future, but if we continue to not set a good example for Gen Alpha, it will only lead to a repetitive cycle for the upcoming generations.
This constant exposure to judgment has intensified the fear and perception among teenagers. Once fleeting mistakes are now preserved online, creating anxiety around saying or doing the “wrong” thing. For many, this leads to self-censorship, where opinions, humour, or even appearance are carefully filtered to avoid criticism or exclusion. This pressure that is put on teenagers to be confident, attractive and socially aware can make the journey to adolescence an obstacle rather than an experiment. In this sense, young people aren’t exactly losing themselves — it is more that they are prioritising how they are seen to who they actually are.
The group most at generational risk, who are highlighted several times, is Gen Alpha, as they have been exposed to social media at a younger age than Gen Z. Early exposure to these algorithmic videos may shape self – esteem before the formation of a strong sense of identity. When children and teenagers measure their worth through online attention, it raises concerns about long-term effects on confidence, creativity, and emotional resilience. From this perspective, social media is not simply a backdrop to adolescence but a powerful force actively influencing how identity is constructed.
A familiar step to adolescence
It is not new that people tend to argue about how these insecurities are part of the Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s part of growing up — it is rather a universal teenage experience. Adolescence has always been a period marked by self-doubt, peer pressure, and a strong desire for acceptance. Generations before this one, people were worried about their status in school corridors, fitting in groups and meeting societal expectations — funny enough, these concerns are still exact same in this generation, except it’s expressed more through social media than offline.
However, social media might not be the only root of insecurity. Over the past couple of decades, it has been shown that teenagers were still criticised for their behaviours, interests and habits, from television to video games; each generation has been accused of being disconnected from reality. Therefore, fear of judgment, experimentation with identity, and concern over appearance are all natural aspects of growing up, regardless of the era.
Amplification rather than Creation
Social media is not entirely harmful or completely harmless, but it is a perspective that it is like an amplifier of existing teenage insecurities. Social media does not create the desire for acceptance, but it intensifies it by making feedback immediate, visible, and often public. Where rejection once occurred privately, it can now happen in front of a digital audience.
This continuous visibility changes how identity is formed. Although there are still many teenagers who are aware and are cautious, others still seek the aesthetics and validation through trends. Likewise identitiy is not lost but fragmented across platforms.
At the same time, social media can offer positive spaces for self-expression, creativity, and community. Many young people find belonging online that they may struggle to find offline. This suggests that the issue is not social media itself, but how it is used and understood during a vulnerable stage of development.
Ultimatley the question is whether Gen Z and Gen Alpha lost themselves or whether society has just adapted to support young people growing up in this digital world. Social media has undoubtedly changed how identity is explored, but it has not erased the core experiences of adolescence. Fear of perception and insecurity is more visible than ever in Gen Z and Alpha world’s life, infact it is central and louder than it can ever be.
If adolescence has always been about finding oneself, then today this generation is doing so in a different light. Rather than dismissing younger generations as disconnected or superficial, it may be more productive to recognise the pressures they face and encourage healthier relationships with technology. The biggest challenge now is not remove the light from the younger generations but teach them how to live within it.