Digital Environment and Identity Formation: Dignity, Vulnerability, and Architectures of Choice

This article examines the role of the digital environment and algorithmically mediated interactions in the formation of identity in children and adolescents. Drawing on developmental psychology and the concept of human dignity, it conceptualizes digital systems not merely as contexts but as active agents shaping subjectivity. The analysis focuses on three key processes: disembodiment, architectures of choice, and structural vulnerability. It argues that while the developing psyche adapts effectively to high-stimulation environments, these adaptations may carry long-term costs, including identity fragmentation and reduced autonomy. The paper concludes that protecting human dignity in digital contexts requires not only individual or educational strategies but also institutional and regulatory responses.