Decoding Gen Z Identity Construction in Social Networks Through The Paradigm of Branding

Social networks play a significant and often monopolizing role in the lives of youth and provide spaces where they can express their individual identity and experiment with who they are and what they represent. This paper examines the evolution of social networks from play spaces to marketplaces; where self-expression is more about impressions, and the nature of self-identity fuses with the principles of branding. By examining the complex association between identity expression and branding within public and participatory networked ecosystems, this study scrutinizes the way children build ideologies of their own selves. The study culminates with a toolkit as a resource for parents and carers—applying the principles of brand strategy to help carers play a more meaningful role in constructing, nurturing, and protecting youth identity