Ilaha Sulduz Nabiyeva

THE IMPACT OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE FORMATION OF THEIR "BEAUTY" STANDARDS

Abstract. Social media has become an integral part of our lives in today's world. According to statistics from January 2025, more than 5 billion people globally use social media, which is approximately 63 percent of the world's population. Users spend an average of 2 hours and 21 minutes a day on social media. [1] These figures prove that the young generation is particularly addicted to social media and is interested in the information and culture presented there. All this causes young people to think a lot about their self-esteem, self-expression, and their external appearance and image. Studies show that social media is one of the main factors that cause body dissatisfaction and self-confidence in young people. All this leads to an increase in eating disorders, dysmorphophobia, low self-esteem, depression and other such concerns. The young generation is at great risk in this regard. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of young people's use of social media on the formation of their "beauty" standards in a psychological context and to develop practical recommendations for parents and professionals aimed at reducing its negative effects.

Keywords: Virtual space, Social media, personality, beauty standards, aesthetic demand