The Candy House is a novel that captures the 21st-century American fixation with technological advancement and the rise of social media. Social media refers to interactions between users of online platforms and can include online profiles, news sites, communication platforms, and influential online stores. Two of the most successful early social media platforms were MySpace, which was launched in 2003, and Facebook, which was founded in 2004. Unlike many early forums and chat rooms where anonymity was the norm, MySpace and Facebook encouraged a new online culture where social media was an extension of real life; people connected with their existing friends and community members, added real photos, and shared anecdotes about their real lives. These platforms established the idea of a digital footprint, where one’s life can be traced through various online postings.

Social media use exploded with the rise of smartphones. The first iPhone was released in 2007, marking the first time that people had 24/7 mobile internet access at the touch of a button. This affected everything from learning to communication, including the ability to post photos on social media apps in real time rather than waiting until one was home and at a computer. Today, it is estimated that 6.