Alterations in Social Interaction Patterns and Identity in the Era of Social Media and Digital Culture

Carolina  da Cruz; Fayola  Issalillah; Farah Amini Binti Mohamed  Fariz

Authors

Carolina da Cruz Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e
Fayola Issalillah
Farah Amini Binti Mohamed Fariz Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Keywords:

social media; digital culture; social interaction; identity; disinformation; trust networks; online communication

Abstract

This literature study examines how social media and digital culture reshape everyday social interaction, identity formation, and the circulation of disinformation. Interaction increasingly takes place through brief digital signals such as messages, likes, and comments, which become reference points for closeness, recognition, and exclusion. Identity emerges as a continuously negotiated presentation of self, influenced by imagined audiences, platform design, and statistical indicators of engagement. Digital spaces open opportunities to explore alternative identities and to join new communities, yet they also generate tensions between online personas and offline expectations in family, education, and work settings. The study further shows that disinformation is tightly interwoven with patterns of online interaction. Trust networks, rapid communication habits, visual culture, and group-based identification provide fertile ground for misleading narratives that travel through private chats, public timelines, and influencer communities. Algorithmic curation amplifies emotionally charged content, allowing false claims to gain high visibility and persistence. By synthesizing theoretical and empirical works from various disciplines, this article offers an integrated conceptual map that links interactional dynamics, identity work, and disinformation, and thus supports the design of educational, communicative, and regulatory initiatives oriented toward more responsible digital communication.

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