Volume 2 - Issue 4, July - August 2026

Social media has become an integral part of daily life for Generation Z, influencing communication, information sharing, entertainment, and social interaction. As digital natives, Generation Z users actively engage with social media platforms; however, the level and nature of their engagement vary significantly, and understanding what drives adoption and sustained engagement is important for both academic research and practical decision-making. This study, titled “Determinants of Social Media Adoption and Engagement Among Generation Z in India,” develops and empirically tests a conceptual model examining how perceived usefulness, social influence, perceived enjoyment, attitude toward social media, perceived ease of use, and privacy and security concerns influence social media adoption and engagement. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 150 Generation Z social media users across India, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and multiple regression analysis in SPSS. The results show that perceived usefulness, social influence, perceived enjoyment, attitude toward social media, and perceived ease of use each have a statistically significant positive relationship with social media adoption and engagement, jointly explaining 68 percent of the variance in the outcome, while privacy and security concerns exert a significant negative influence. Perceived enjoyment emerged as the strongest predictor, underscoring the centrality of entertainment and emotional gratification to Generation Z’s digital behaviour. The findings confirm an integrated, empirically validated framework linking behavioural and technological determinants to adoption and engagement, offering practical guidance for platform developers, marketers, and policymakers seeking to design user-centric and secure digital environments.

Vijayakumar U, Mr.T.Vinu Charles,"Determinants of Social Media Adoption and Engagement Among Generation Z in India: An Analytical Study of Behavioural and Technological Factors" International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Development, V2(4): Page(297-308) July - August 2026. ISSN: 3107-6513. www.ijamred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.