THE FUSE

Social media is no longer a niche pastime or even a recreational activity; it is a defining feature of adolescence. Nearly 60 percent of the global population now uses social media, and young people are its most intensive users. Adolescents and young adults spend nearly three hours per day on social media on average, with a substantial proportion reporting five or more hours daily. For many young people, social platforms are not something they visit occasionally; they are the primary environment in which social life, identity formation, and emotional feedback unfold.