This research discusses social media usage behavior among Generation Z in the city of Surabaya and the

phenomena of connected but alone and constant connectivity that emerge in the context of modern

communication digitization. Using a quantitative descriptive approach through a survey of 130 respondents, this

study found that 30.8% of respondents agreed that social media is individualistic, and 32.8% agreed that

rise to complex psychological implications for young people, particularly Gen Z. In this context, constant digital

connectivity creates an illusion of social closeness, while emotionally individuals actually experience loneliness

This survey data illustrates a clear modern paradox: a high dependence on the internet and social media triggers

excessive use. This intensive use, in turn, produces feelings of loneliness and shallow relationships, which are

the core of the "connected but alone" phenomenon. The urge for "constant connectivity" creates anxiety and

The development of communication technology has brought fundamental changes in the way humans interact,

Gen Z refers to those born between the 1990s and 2010s. They were born familiar with technology, so their daily

lives are inseparable from the internet. They have social media, are accustomed to communicating with images,

maintaining relationships digitally, fear missing out, have high multitasking abilities, use connectivity to drive

However, behind the ease of interaction and self-expression, a new paradox emerges in the social life of the

digital society. The phenomenon of connected but alone, proposed by Sherry Turkle (2011), describes a state

where individuals appear always connected online, but emotionally feel lonely and alienated. Constant digital

connectivity does not always result in meaningful closeness, because relationships built in cyberspace are often

This tendency is reinforced by the emergence of a constant connectivity culture, where individuals feel the need

Generation Z is the group most vulnerable to this phenomenon. As digital natives, they are accustomed to

multitasking across various social media platforms, making the virtual world the primary space for socialization

and identity formation (Auxier & Anderson, 2021). However, on the other hand, high exposure to digital content

and interaction makes them susceptible to social pressure, loneliness, and social anxiety caused by the need to

According to Turkle, although humans are increasingly connected technologically through digital devices and

social media, the quality of interpersonal relationships is actually declining. Digital communication is often

shallow, curated, and loses emotional depth. Turkle (2011) asserts that "We turn to technology to help us feel

connected in ways we can comfortably control," showing that digital connections are more often used to avoid

"This condition is exacerbated by the constant connectivity culture which causes symptoms like fear of missing

while facing the paradox of connected but alone and constant connectivity. The main focus is to understand the

extent to which the level of social media use influences perceptions of social connectedness and the tendency

Thus, this research is expected to provide theoretical and practical contributions to the study of digital

communication, especially in understanding the dynamics of social relationships in the era of non-stop

connectivity. Theoretically, this research enriches the understanding of Connected but Alone Theory in the

The research type is descriptive quantitative without testing relationships between variables. This research

examines aspects of the nature of connected but alone, consisting of feeling lonely and shallow connections. The

than 6 hours every day, while 30% use it for 4-6 hours, and only 13.1% use it for 1-3 hours. These findings

reinforce the view that Generation Z is a community group that is highly digitally connected and has high

intensity in interacting through social media (Putri & Rahmawati, 2023). This data also shows that Generation

Z has a very high level of digital connectivity and falls into the category of heavy internet users. This usage

pattern depicts the characteristics of digital natives who live in an always connected culture (Przybylski et al.,

As many as 53.4% of respondents gave a score of 4 or 5 to the statement "I feel connections on social media are

shallow or temporary". This is strong evidence that although technically connected with many people, the quality

of these relationships is not felt to be deep. As many as 50.9% stated feeling that no one truly knows them in the

digital world. As many as 51.2% agreed that they "often feel lonely even though active on social media". This

data directly supports the "connected but alone" phenomenon, where digital interactions are unable to fulfill the

always be on and fear missing information. Indications of digital addiction are seen from 53.7% who feel

"anxious if they don't open social media for a long time". This reinforces that constant connectivity is no longer

External Validation through "Like": As many as 58.1% admitted that they feel "more accepted when their posts

get many 'likes' or comments". This shows that self-esteem and feelings of acceptance are increasingly dependent

on external validation from the digital environment, which is a psychological impact of an always-connected

The very high tendency of internet use indicates that digital media has become an integral part of the daily

activities of Generation Z, both for communication, entertainment, learning, and self-development. This

phenomenon illustrates a shift in communication culture towards a pattern that is entirely online and instant

between need and dependence on the internet is increasingly blurred. According to Kuss and Griffiths (2017),

excessive use of digital media can lead to internet addiction, characterized by loss of control, increased tolerance,

Kuss and Griffiths (2017) state that excessive use of digital media can lead to internet addiction, characterized

Twenge (2019) adds that the high intensity of social media use among Gen Z is closely related to increased

anxiety, stress, and feelings of loneliness. Thus, although social media has great benefits in supporting

communication, entertainment, and social connection, its uncontrolled use can negatively impact psychological

The phenomenon of individualistic nature and excessive internet use among Gen Z has important social

implications. On one hand, social media provides space for this generation to expand their network and express

themselves freely. But on the other hand, individualistic orientation can weaken the quality of authentic social

interactions in the real world. Turkle (2017) calls this condition the "connected but alone" phenomenon, where

individuals feel always digitally connected but lose emotional closeness in face-to-face relationships. According

to her, digital communication is often shallow and loses emotional depth because users tend to seek connections

This phenomenon impacts the increase in social anxiety, digital stress, and digital loneliness—loneliness that

arises not from a lack of connections, but because those connections do not provide emotional meaning (Lim et

This phenomenon is very relevant to Gen Z, a generation that grew up in a culture of constant connectivity. They

are accustomed to instant responses, status updates, and continuous existence in the virtual world. Turkle (2017)

in Reclaiming Conversation emphasizes that the ability to enjoy solitude is increasingly declining because

Kuss and Griffiths (2017) explain that excessive use of digital media can cause internet addiction, characterized

the social flow of their group, even in the digital world. As a result, constant connectivity becomes a new social

However, despite all of the above, 74% of respondents agreed that they feel happier when interacting directly

compared to online, and 79.7% stated they are aware of the time spent in the digital world, so they try to balance

Candiotto (2022) introduced the term extended loneliness, a form of loneliness that arises precisely because of

too many online connections without relational depth. He emphasizes that "loneliness can arise from an

abundance of connections in the online sphere." In the context of Gen Z, this means that although they have

many friends on social media, most of these relationships are superficial and do not provide real emotional

The connected but alone condition also impacts Gen Z's ability to interact face-to-face. Turkle (2011) found that

many individuals feel awkward without a digital device in their hands, even when in the middle of a direct

conversation. This shows that the presence of technology has changed the norms of interpersonal

communication. According to Liu et al. (2022), constant connectivity causes a decline in attention capacity and

empathy because individuals are accustomed to dividing their focus between the physical and digital worlds

The social implications of this phenomenon are quite significant. First, face-to-face communication loses

emotional depth because it is replaced by short messages and digital symbols like emojis or reaction icons.

Second, social pressure to always be active on social media causes digital stress and a feeling of never being

enough (fear of missing out or FOMO) (Przybylski et al., 2013). Third, individuals begin to judge self-worth

based on others' responses in the virtual world, not from real interactions or self-reflection. Consequently, social

but also at emotional awareness and ethics of technology use so that Generation Z can balance digital connections

The phenomenon of connected but alone is also closely related to the concept of "digital loneliness". In recent

research, Lim et al. (2023) explain that digital loneliness does not always mean lacking social connections, but

arises when online relationships do not provide deep emotional meaning. For Gen Z, whose interactions are

mostly conducted through digital media, these pseudo-relationships actually create an inexplicable sense of