How do the pervasive and ubiquitous nature of social media platforms, with their inherent tendency to foster comparison, inauthenticity, and constant connectivity, influence the psychological well-being and identity formation of contemporary youth? Additionally, how might the philosophical concepts of authenticity, alienation, and the gaze of others, as explored by thinkers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Michel Foucault, illuminate the impact of social media on the mental health of today’s young individuals?