Filtered Reality

Filtered Reality: How the Internet Rewired Self-Expression is a provocative exploration of how social media has transformed identity, self-worth, and authenticity in the digital age. From the early days of MySpace and Tumblr to the algorithm-driven worlds of Instagram, TikTok, and AI influencers, this book unpacks the hidden forces shaping how we present ourselves online-and how they've altered the way we see ourselves in real life.

Blending cultural critique, psychology, and compelling storytelling, Filtered Reality examines how self-expression has shifted from something personal and organic to something optimized, performative, and shaped by engagement metrics. It explores questions like:

• Is self-expression still authentic when it's curated for an audience?
• What happens when influencers, brands, and even AI personalities start shaping identity more than real-life relationships?
• Can we ever truly be "real" in a space designed for performance?

With deep insights into digital culture, the rise of AI-generated personas, and the growing pushback against social media perfection, Filtered Reality challenges readers to rethink their relationship with the internet. In a world where authenticity has become a commodity, this book is an urgent call to reclaim what it means to be human.

For fans of: Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror, Jenny Odell's How to Do Nothing, and Cal Newport's Digital Minimalism.