Section Article

Digital Intimacy vs. Physical Proximity: Relationships in the Age of Reels
Author(s): Parmod Mishra

Abstract
The rise of short-form video platforms like Instagram Reels TikTok (prior to its ban in India) Moj and YouTube Shorts has transformed how individuals connect express and cultivate intimacy in the digital era. In a world increasingly shaped by visual storytelling algorithmic visibility and curated aesthetics the boundaries between digital intimacy and physical proximity are being redefined. This paper explores how relationships—romantic platonic and familial—are experienced and negotiated in the age of Reels with a particular focus on young adults in urban and semi-urban India. Through digital ethnography in-depth interviews and content analysis the study investigates how digital performances of love affection and attention shape interpersonal expectations and emotional realities. The findings reveal that while Reels foster connection visibility and validation they also create tensions around authenticity immediacy and embodied presence. The paper argues that digital intimacy does not replace physical proximity but reconfigures it—offering new forms of connection while also complicating notions of emotional closeness and relational trust.