Social Media and Social Isolation among Indian Digital Natives: emerging Ramifications of Digital Citizenship

The pervasive integration of social media platforms into the daily lives of digital natives represents a complex socio-technological phenomenon with profound implications for social cohesion, psychosocial development, and mental health trajectories. Given India’s diverse social fabric, understanding these dynamics is critical for societal stability and cultural continuity. The present investigation employs a quantitatively driven methodology to elucidate the nuanced relationships between social media engagement patterns and social isolation among digital natives in Delhi, a microcosm exemplifying India’s rapidly digitizing demographic. Analytical results demonstrate statistically significant positive correlations: social isolation exhibits strong associations with social media usage frequency, perceived digital social support, and dependency on social media platforms. Findings substantiate the hypothesis that heightened engagement with social media - particularly among Indian digital users - correlates with attenuated face-to-face interactions, increased subjective feelings of loneliness, and exacerbated social fragmentation. Given the heterogeneity of India’s social fabric, these emergent patterns of digital-induced social disintegration necessitate culturally sensitive intervention strategies. Recommendations include promoting balanced digital consumption through digital literacy programs, strengthening offline social competencies, and fostering community-based engagement initiatives - aimed at mitigating social isolation and safeguarding the social cohesion essential for India’s societal stability and cultural resilience.