The Promise of Emancipation of Digital Technologies And the Risks of Alienation in the Self-Construction: The Case of Instagram Among Algerian Youth Aged 15 To 25
Keywords:
Digital identity, Digital technologies, Emancipation discourse, Self-construction, SubjectivationAbstract
This study highlights the ambivalent effects of digital technologies on self-construction providing rich insights into the lived experiences of young Algerian digital users. The findings reveal a strong tendency towards the idealisation of self-image on social media platforms, accompanied by a pervasive sense of exclusion and lack of recognition. A constant pressure is felt to optimise and curate one’s digital identity to align with the standards of beauty, success, and popularity valorised by these environments. By bridging theory and practice, this research offers valuable implications for researchers seeking to foster more reflexive and empowering digital identity practices, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced understanding of self-becoming in the digital age.
References
Armano, E., Briziarelli, M., & Risi, R. (2022). Algorithmic Subjectivities: Understanding Identity Formation in the Age of Algorithms. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 10(2). 115-132. https://doi.org/10.5539/jmcs.v10n2p115
Aulia, F., Putri, K.Y. (2024). Use of Instagram as a Medium for Adolescence Self-Identity Construction. International Journal of Media and Communication Research, 5(1), 33-43. https://doi.org/10.25299/ijmcr.v5i1.15007
Bailey, J. (2019). The Impact of Instagram on Self-Identity. Journal of Social Media Studies, 2(1), 15-25. https://doi.org/10.2139/jss.2019.0015
Bulmer, E., Hart, A., & Timms, C. (2024). The Commercial Influence of Social Media on Identity Construction. Journal of Marketing & Society, 12(1). 56-72. https://doi.org/10.1177/23749542311945
Butler, J. (2007). Le Récit de soi. PUF. Paris.
Cahn, R. (2006). La subjectivation et ses vicissitudes. Le Carnet PSY. N°109. 21-23.
Chan, M. (2022). The Digitized Self: Identity in the Age of Digital Media. Journal of Media and Communication Research, 9(3). 56-73. https://doi.org/10.25299/jmcr.v9i3.25467
Chen, L. (2023). The Aesthetic Norms of Instagram and TikTok: Implications for Self-Expression. Journal of Visual Communication, 15(1). 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470357219824108
Chen, S. (2023). The Influence of Social Media Platforms on Self-Identity in the New Media Environment: The Case of TikTok and Instagram. SHS Web of Conferences. 165. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202316501020
Cornu, L. (2014). Subjectivation, émancipation, élaboration. In TUMULTES, 43. 17-31. Kimé edition.
Desroches, D. (2013). La vérité du sujet: Subjectivation et véridiction chez Foucault. Symposium: Canadian Journal of Continental Philosophy. Revue canadienne de philosophie continentale, 17(2). 31-52.
Farnsworth Finn, J. (2020). Young adult identity development: A parent's guide. TODAY. https://www.today.com/parenting-guides/young-adult-identity-development-parent- s-guide-t179013
Garbett, H., & Ovens, C. (2017). The Role of influencers in shaping digital identity. International Journal of Social Media Research, 3(2). 85-99. https://doi.org/10.1080/21516809.2017.1395880
Granic, I., Morita, Y., & Scholten, M. (2020). The impact of digital platforms onself-presentation and alienation. Journal of Digital Psychology, 10(2). 150-165. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42897-020-00034-7
Gros, F. (2017). Chapitre III. Les pratiques de subjectivation. In Michel Foucault. 91-123). PUF edition.
Gross, A., Davis, L., & Samuel, T. (2024). Instagram’s algorithm: The myth of authenticity. Social Media + Society, 10(1). 23-37. https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211037624
Hällgren, M., & Björk, J. (2022). Youth identity and the digital realm: Autonomy and self-expression in social media. Journal of Youth Studies, 25(4). 508-524. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2022.2067312
Huang, Y., Kumar, A., & Hu, L. (2021). Online identity and alienation: Navigating expectations in digital communities. Journal of information Technology &Society, 18(4). 324-342. https://doi.org/10.1111/jits.12345
Instagram. (2022). Terms of Use. https://help.instagram.com/
Langlois, G., & Elmer, G. (2018). Algorithmic control and impersonal subjectivity indigital networks. Media, Culture & Society, 40(5). 719-733. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443717743152
Leaver, T., Highfield, T., & Abidin, C. (2020). Instagram: Visual social media cultures. Polity Press. Mamann, J.M. (2022). Changement d’algorithme d’instagram 2023: Instagramva « plus que doubler» les recommandations. Full CONTENT. https://www.fullcontent.com/algorithme-instagram-2023/
Marshall, B., Cardon, P., Poddar, A., & Fontenot, R. (2013). Does sample size matter inqualitative research?: A review of qualitative interviews in IS research ?. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 54(1). 11-22.
Marwick, A. (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the attention economy. Public Culture, 27(1). 137-160.
Purnama, D.H., Ernalida, & Arianti, Y. (2024). Construction and deconstruction of selfidentity of palembang adolescents on instagram. Revista De Gestão Social EAmbiental, 18(8), e05295. https://doi.org/10.1024857/rgsa.v18n8-114
Rambeau, F. (2016). III. Les apories de la subjectivation politique. In Les secondes vies du sujet. 81-119. Hermann edition.
Register, C., Marsh, K., & White, E. (2023). Navigating algorithmic precarity: Content creators and the quest for visibility. International Journal of Digital Communication, 4(1). 45-59.
Savolainen, L.(2023). Who is the algorithm? Interfacing the social, emotional, and algorithmic. Doctoral thesis defended on September 1st at The Faculty of Social
Sciences. University of Helsinki, Finland.
Simanowski,R.(2019). The Self in the age of digital identity. In Digital Media: New Approaches to Identity and Interaction. Routledge.
Yilmaz, R. (2021). The many faces of identity: Social media and self -construction. International Journal of Communication Studies, 14(2). 120-135. https://doi.org/10.21569/ijcs.2021.0037
Young, J., Zhu, X., & Venkatesh,A. (2021). Digital empowerment: Agency, dialogue, and inclusion in social media. Journal of Digital Communication Research, 5(1). 47-62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748048518806745
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Imen Hanane Benarab
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
