Could Social Media Affect Who We Are?

Growing concerns about social media's impact on young people have led to global policy actions, such as Australia's ban for under-16s and transparency laws in France and Norway. Beyond body image, researchers are exploring how platforms like Instagram may influence identity formation. Neuroscience suggests that our sense of self is rooted in bodily awareness, and digital environments could alter how we integrate internal and external signals. A study from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart uses virtual reality illusions to examine whether Instagram use affects facial self-recognition and the stability of bodily identity, particularly during adolescence.