The impact of Instagram usage on youth: The case of Iran's Balochistan province

Nowadays, social media has become an integral part of young people's daily lives; especially Instagram offers individuals both the opportunity to express themselves and to interact with different lifestyles. Due to the intensive use of Instagram, which can lead to negative consequences such as social comparison, addiction, and the weakening of cultural values, the need to examine these effects in more detail has emerged. This study, which aims to examine the social, cultural, and psychological effects of Instagram on young people, was conducted in Iran and the target group consists of young individuals. The research was conducted using a qualitative research method, and interviews were held with 20 young people between the ages of 17 and 22 living in the Balochistan province of Iran. Purposeful and snowball sampling methods were used to reach the participants. First, a few people from my close circle were selected, and then these individuals were asked to suggest other people. The findings reveal that while Instagram has positive effects on young people such as enhancing creativity and strengthening social bonds, it also leads to negative consequences such as loss of self-confidence, social comparison, and social media addiction. Additionally, it has been observed that Instagram's encouragement of the rapid spread of global cultural trends causes young people to distance themselves from local cultural values. This study, while revealing the multifaceted effects of Instagram on young people, emphasizes the importance of managing social media use consciously and in a balanced way. The findings provide various suggestions for families, educators, and policymakers in order to minimize the possible harms of social media use and to ensure that young people benefit positively from this platform.