New Delhi, March 15 -- In a world where digital footprints rival real-world lives, social media has emerged as an influential architect of identity. According to Statista, a German data archive, 5.13 billion users spend nearly 143 minutes daily on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp, not just reflecting but actively constructing their online identities. This vast, interconnected sphere compels individuals to curate digital personas shaped by desired self-images and reinforced by online communities. As 'prosumers,' individuals blur the lines between genuine expression and performance, warranting a critical examination of this transformation in an increasingly virtual age.

The multi-faceted digital self

Social media has fundame...