Digital dilemmas: Influence of peer pressure and attitude towards digital privacy in social media users

Introduction: Technology has become integral to day-to-day life in the digital era, particularly social media platforms such as Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram. They are now the most common way to connect billions of people worldwide. Social media has transformed how people communicate, share information, build communities, and foster global connections at our fingertips. (Bengtsson & Johansson, 2022). However, the widespread use of social media has also raised concerns regarding privacy, misinformation and fake news, online addiction, bullying and harassment, digital peer pressure, and mental health impacts (Dhiman, 2023). One of the rising concerns is the dilemma between digital peer pressure and digital privacy, where individuals struggle to balance social acceptance with protecting personal information (McClain, 2023). To address this issue, the current study examines the influence of digital peer pressure on the understanding and practices of digital privacy among social media users. It provides an understanding of the behaviors and attitudes of social media users.