• Prajay Khairnar
• Prathamesh Nikam
• Pratik Gaikwad
• Pratiksha Devkar
• H.R.Kulkarni,Divya Girase

Social media in the modern era prescribes what young adults think about themselves — their beauty, social status, and physical makeup. Social media is more likely to promote highly edited models of beauty, i.e., whiteness, thinness, and muscularity. Though they offer places to be creative, to be oneself, and to be cared for, they also promote these edited models of beauty. In India, the world's beauty standards collide with a culture that runs very deep, giving rise to complex issues for young adults and youths. The study examines the effect of social media on young Indians' body image and self-esteem. Based on the Perception–Exposure–Impact (PEI) model, the study examines the vulnerability and resilience factors in five cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kochi. The study is grounded in secondary sources such as IAMAI digital penetration reports, NFHS-5 surveys, WHO mental health statistics, and over fifty peer-reviewed articles. The findings were further strengthened by seeking advice from media researchers and psychologists as well. Delhi and Mumbai are identified as being most exposed through peer comparison, algorithmic ideals of beauty, and up-and-coming influencer culture. Hyderabad and Kochi are comparatively resilient with the help of collectivist family structures and cultural diversity, with Bengaluru being in the middle. It is also gendered: young men embrace more muscular ideals, but young women are more concerned with thinness and looks. By and large, the research reaches the point that social media is a two-edged sword — empowering public spaces of activism and creativity in one sense, and promoting low self-esteem and self-objectification in another. It proposes remedies like providing education in digital literacy in schools, more stringent controls over sites, regular mental health checks, and body diversity initiatives in the media. The study acknowledges that its limitation lies in being only on second-level data and suggests that future research utilizes mixed-method and longitudinal designs to enhance comprehension of the evolving Indian youth experience.

The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Body Image And Self-Esteem: A Multidimensional Analysis

"The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Body Image And Self-Esteem: A Multidimensional Analysis", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no.384-398, January-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRHG06038.pdf

"The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Body Image And Self-Esteem: A Multidimensional Analysis", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 1, page no. pp384-398, January-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRHG06038.pdf