The Damages and Benefits of these platforms.
Across continents and cultures, from London to Lagos, Mumbai to Montreal, Generation Z, those born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s, have emerged as the world’s first truly digital natives. Unlike their predecessors, they didn’t simply witness the digital revolution; they were raised within it, moulded by smartphones and social media in equal measure.
In this global tapestry of connection, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat have become central to how Gen Z communicates, creates, and constructs their identities. Whether in bustling metropolises or rural communities with rising connectivity, Gen Z’s online presence is prolific and powerful.
For many Gen Z individuals, social media is not merely recreational, it is profoundly transformational. Globally, over 84% engage regularly with YouTube, 89% with Instagram, and 82% with TikTok. These platforms serve as avenues for artistic expression, entrepreneurship, education, and activism.
From the visually dynamic feeds of Nairobi’s Instagram influencers to the educational YouTube channels run by teens in Berlin or Delhi, Gen Z is harnessing technology not just to consume, but to contribute. Social media has democratised visibility, one viral post can elevate voices from underrepresented regions, fuel grassroots movements, or launch global careers.
It has also cultivated a space for dialogue around pressing societal concerns. Issues such as climate change, racial justice, mental health, gender identity, and political reform have found resonance through hashtags and reels. In many cases, digital activism has translated into tangible, real-world impact.
Moreover, platforms like Pinterest and TikTok are evolving into tools of inspiration and learning, providing users with DIY tutorials, language lessons, financial advice, and career insights, all at their fingertips.
Yet, this borderless access and expression come with complex consequences. The very platforms that empower can also disempower. The algorithmic architecture of social media, designed to captivate and retain attention, can often lead to compulsive scrolling, digital fatigue, and deteriorating mental health.
Studies from multiple regions, including the UK, South Korea, and Brazil, indicate rising levels of anxiety, sleep disorders, and self-esteem issues among Gen Z; many of which are linked to excessive exposure to curated lives, body ideals, and viral validation. The omnipresence of ‘likes’, comments, and follower counts has created a culture of constant comparison.
There’s also the critical issue of misinformation. Whether during global pandemics or political elections, disinformation spreads swiftly, often outpacing truth. Gen Z, despite being tech-savvy, remains vulnerable to algorithmically amplified falsehoods that shape opinions and polarise communities.
Privacy concerns further complicate this landscape. Data surveillance, targeted advertising, and the erosion of digital autonomy have become mounting concerns among young users globally.
As digital citizens, Gen Z faces an imperative: to navigate this terrain with discernment. The onus is not theirs alone. Global tech companies must adopt ethical practices, designing platforms that value user wellbeing as much as profit. Policymakers must bolster digital literacy programmes, ensuring the next generation can critically evaluate what they consume and share.
Parents and educators, from Johannesburg to Jakarta, must engage, not with fear, but with curiosity. Rather than banning screen time, they should help foster mindful engagement: asking not just how much time is spent online, but why.
The story of Gen Z and social media is not one of dependency, but of duality. It is a relationship filled with promise and peril, empowerment and entrapment. Used consciously, social media can be a force for global unity, innovation, and self-expression. Left unchecked, it risks becoming a silent saboteur of mental health and human connection.
In this globalised era, the question is not whether Gen Z will use social media but how they will wield its power. And in that choice lies the future of digital humanity.
