Identity

3. Identity

In this data commentary, we consider identity in terms of how young people come to learn about themselves and their values. As a concept, it holds many dimensions; those we will touch on include self-esteem, sexual identity and gender identity, and hobbies and interests.

Here, we consider the transition from childhood to adulthood as a time when individuals draw on their previous experiences, societal expectations and their personal aspirations to establish their values and ‘find’ themselves[ref]Orenstein, G.A., and Lewis, L. (2022). Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. StatPearls. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556096/. [/ref]. Previous research indicates that digital technologies, including social media, offer environments where young people “can interact, display, and receive feedback about themselves”, contributing to the formation of their self-concept and exploration of their identity[ref]Pérez-Torres, V. (2024). Social Media: A Digital Social Mirror for Identity Development during Adolescence. Current Psychology: A Journal for Diverse Perspectives on Diverse Psychological Issues 43. 22170–80. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-024-05980-z. [/ref].

Online communications can moderate how young people present themselves to others. This moderation can make social interactions easier. For instance, higher proportions of 11–18-year-olds describe themselves as outgoing or confident when they communicate online than when they communicate in person (71% vs 53%)[ref]Ofcom (2023). Understanding Online Communications among Children. [/ref]. An international systematic review of empirical evidence in this area suggests that social media may facilitate and support the development of self-concept and identity, offering a buffer to in-person interaction for those who experience identity-related anxiety[ref]Senekal, J.S., et al. (2023). Social Media and Adolescent Psychosocial Development: A Systematic Review. South African Journal of Psychology 53. 157–71. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/00812463221119302. [/ref].

Yet tools like social media can exacerbate feelings of poor self-esteem by heightening social comparisons with others. Nearly half (48%) of 14–22-year-olds report that after using social media, they feel that other people’s lives are better than their own. In the same study, young people report that social media has a negative impact on their body image, with this feeling more prevalent for those aged 18–22 than 14–17-year-olds (43% and 31% respectively)[ref]Common Sense Media, and Hopelab. (2024). A Double-Edged Sword: How Diverse Communities of Young People Think about the Multifaceted Relationship between Social Media and Mental Health. Available from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2024-double-edged-sword-hopelab-report_final-release-for-web-v2.pdf. [/ref]. Gender differences also emerge in relation to the effects of social media on body image. In a separate survey to the one mentioned above, girls aged 14–17 are more likely than boys of the same age to be concerned about online content promoting excessive or unhealthy dieting and exercise[ref]Ofcom (2024). Online Nation 2024 Report. [/ref].

These findings point to the ways online experiences can be both beneficial and potentially harmful for young people as they develop their sense of identity. This duality has been identified in particular for LGBTQ+ young people. For example, most (89%) LGBTQ+ young people report seeing comments online that celebrate LGBTQ+ identities. However, the same young people also encounter both transphobic and homophobic comments more frequently than non-LGBTQ+ youth (with 75% LGBTQ+ youth reporting seeing transphobic comments compared to 55% of non-LGBTQ+ youth, and 76% seeing homophobic comments compared to 49%)[ref]Common Sense Media, and Hopelab. (2024). A Double-Edged Sword: How Diverse Communities of Young People Think about the Multifaceted Relationship between Social Media and Mental Health. Available from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2024-double-edged-sword-hopelab-report_final-release-for-web-v2.pdf. [/ref].

Digital technologies also offer ways for young people to develop their interests and connect with like-minded people. Shared interests are often a reason young people make connections with new people online. For instance, in a survey on a wide range of social media platforms, nearly half (48%) of 11–18-year-olds who use various social media platforms say they make a new connection online every week because the person they are connecting with has similar interests to them[ref]Ofcom (2023). Understanding Online Communications among Children. [/ref]. Two-fifths (43%) of 13–17-year-olds also report watching ‘how-to’ videos or tutorials about hobbies or things they are interested in, with recommender systems on social media platforms often offering young people content that has been personalised to match their interests and hobbies[ref]Ofcom (2025). Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report, 2025. Available from: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/children/childrens-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2025/childrens-media-literacy-report-2025.pdf?v=396621. [/ref]. However, recommender systems and the hyper-personalisation and targeting these systems permit have also raised concerns about the viewpoints young people are exposed to at a critical time in their development. Recently, a project conducted algorithmic archetype modelling[ref]Researchers developed four archetypes of TikTok users based on interviews with young people to explore how initial interests in key theme areas influenced how, and to what extent, misogynistic content was presented to young people through the TikTok algorithm. For each archetype, a researcher watched videos on TikTok for one hour per day for seven continuous days. Based on the archetypes ‘interested’ list, if the videos presented through the algorithm were determined to align with the respective archetype’s preference, they proceeded to watch the video to the end, and the shared link was documented. This method was chosen because of restrictions for the public to access TikTok’s video data and because harmful content on TikTok is not easily visible.[/ref] and interviews with young people and school leaders, finding that social media platforms like TikTok can, through recommender systems, amplify harmful content to young people, including misogynistic and sexist ideologies[ref]Regehr, K., et al. (2024). Safer Scrolling: How Algorithms Popularise and Gamify Online Hate and Misogyny for Young People. University College London, University of Kent. Available from: https://www.ascl.org.uk/ASCL/media/ASCL/Help%20and%20advice/Inclusion/Safer-scrolling.pdf. [/ref].

The data above shows how digital technologies can present opportunities for young people to learn about themselves and develop their interests. For some young people, this can be a positive experience, leading to better self-esteem and opportunities to connect with like-minded peers. For others, these technologies can leave young people vulnerable to attacks on their sense of self, leading to potentially detrimental impacts on their overall well-being. Our data highlights that LGBTQ+ youth may be more vulnerable to both the positive and negative effects of digital technologies on identity development. At the same time, there is evidence to suggest that the design of popular online platforms can amplify harmful values, potentially negatively impacting the development of young people’s world views and values.

Reflections from our Youth Insight Group

We asked our Youth Insight Group what their personal experience has been of working out things about themselves through their digital life. While some did not make a connection between their digital life and their sense of self, others reflected on how technologies can affect the way they present themselves, can offer opportunities for community building, and can support their journey of understanding who they are.

The group commented that digital technologies can provide ‘freedom’ to explore places and information in ways that they would not be able to in day-to-day life. This freedom can allow people to try on different identities as they learn more about themselves and for some, having space to do so has been particularly important in the context of not feeling safe to do so at home or school.

This freedom was felt to be liberating for some, and unsettling for others.

For some people, online spaces facilitated self-discovery in terms of their gender or sexual identity: “I found [out] about my sexuality online. At the time, I could not open up in my household”. The group remarked on the value of online spaces for finding a community, be that around shared interests or shared identity markers. These spaces may even be safer for some than ‘offline’ communities, as one member highlighted that being “a minority within a minority, it can be dangerous to [seek information and support] through word of mouth”.

Bringing together the reflections from young people with the desk-based data reviewed above highlights the nuanced ways young people use digital technologies to develop their sense of identity. Particularly for those who may otherwise experience marginalisation, digital technologies can afford safety in this exploration.

Considerations for further research

Identity formation is a highly nuanced and rich area of study with literature that cuts across disciplines and research domains. When writing this commentary, we came across insightful and fine-grained qualitative research at small scales delving into the specificities of digital technologies and identity development. Quantitative research with young people may benefit from:

• Further research with young people experiencing marginalisation, including a deeper understanding of intersectionality in relation to the role of digital technologies in identity development
• Data encouraging a retrospective view of the different roles digital technologies has played in an individual’s life as they develop their sense of self over time
• Exploration of the roles of online communities in young people’s lives as they grow older.