In this digital world, we can see everything people post on social media. Many of us feel anxious and worried about missing out on something interesting or important. This feeling is known as Fear of Missing Out (FoMO). FoMO is the anxiety we experience when we feel like something interesting is happening elsewhere and we are not a part of it. Often this feeling is exacerbated by the constant updates or posts on social media platforms. This phenomenon has become a significant psychological problem, especially among the younger generation who are searching for their identity in the digital world.Â
According to JWT Intelligence (2011), FoMo is when people are afraid of knowing if others have a pleasant experience but the person is not involved in it. As a result, individuals will try to connect with what others are doing through media and internet. Social media has become an integral part of modern life. However, the phenomenon of Fear Of Missing Out has emerged as adark side of this digital culture.Â
Research conducted by Rahmawati Latief (2024) explores the negative impact of FoMo on the younger generation, especially teenagers and university students who are vulnerable to this influence. There are negative impacts of FoMo, among others:
1. Social Media Fatigue
Dependence on social media triggers a sense of fatigue due to too much time spent on digital platforms to find out what is trending nowadays.
2. Decreased Psychological Wellbeing
Studies show that the higher the FoMo, the lower one's psychological well-being. Due to a person's desire to always follow the existing trends, there is no sense of satisfaction in himself.
3.Social Media Addiction.
FoMo can make a person addicted to social media where individuals always want to open social media and find it difficult not to play social media for fear of losing the latest information.
4.Consumptive Behavior and Hedonism.
The fear of 'the times' is often experienced by individuals who have FoMo behavior, thus making a person can behave consumptively which results in a person buying an item that is not needed to look 'current'.
