Social Media Addiction and Lie Concept from a Psychological Perspective

The act of lying is considered a multidimensional and complex problem that is shaped by cognitive and social factors underlying individuals' behaviors and has important social consequences in society. Lying may be triggered by factors such as personal gain, desire for social acceptance, desire to maintain social relations, or it may be based on psychological and psychopathological foundations. With the rapid development of digital technologies and the widespread use of social media platforms, individuals' efforts to exist in the virtual environment have increased their tendency to distort the truth in order to make themselves more attractive or interesting. While social media allows individuals to interact with other users continuously, it also creates an atmosphere of competition that can be called “social competition” in this environment. This situation triggers behaviors such as making themselves look different than they are, exaggerating their achievements or living conditions, and makes it easier to lie on these platforms. The increasing tendency to lie in social media posts can also affect individuals' mental health and psychological states. As the dissonance between online identities and real-life selves increases, individuals may develop depression, anxiety disorders and even narcissistic tendencies. Thus, the proliferation of lying on digital platforms is not only an individual problem, but also carries risks for the mental health of society. The aim of this study is to draw attention to the relationship between social media addiction and lying and to discuss how social media addiction may increase the tendency to lie in individuals in the light of scientific studies in the existing literature.