The Impact of Social Networking Sites on The Youth

Introduction

The study of this research aims to create an immense level of awareness among the youth exposed to such social networking sites and findings will not only bear results as to how adversely and positively is the youth affected by the usage of these sites but also will help the youth to understand the usage of these networking sites efficiently. Facebook, My Space, Twitter, LinkedIn, Skype and Ning are a few such sites that attract a maximum of the youth to tune in to them and thereby embodies their own merits and demerits that desperately need to create an actual picture among the youth.

It has now become an evident and usual sight to face individuals being insensitive that in worshipping places, homes when relatives and guests are around, highways, schools, colleges and social gatherings wherein they are so preoccupied and engrossed in their phones that they do not even bother to look up as to where they are which results in their inability to prioritize as to what is important and what isn’t. Attention has thus been shifted from real to the virtual world and visible to invisible friends.

Social Networking sites are termed to as web-based services that give an opportunity to individuals to create their own personal profile with the choice of their own list of users and thereby connect with them in an altogether public forum that provides them with features such as chatting, blogging, video calling, mobile connectivity and video/photo sharing. People spend more than usual hours on social networking sites to download pictures, browse through updates seek entertainment and chat around with friends to keep themselves connected to one another. These sites have held an addiction to the youth wherein they find it difficult to concentrate on their work and prefer logging in and jumping across one site to another. Some have derived benefit out of these sites whereas some have become academically challenged by the use of these websites.

Individuals have set their own limits as to when and when not to access these websites but we witness very few out of the lot who do not access or make use of these sites at all. Evaluating the amount of research that surrounds the usage of social networking sites in the education system, it is important to determine whether or not, have these sites led to any impact on student engagement and achievement. This paper will be therefore able to review the available literature to study and present both the positive and negative impacts of online networking on the highest in demand segment of our society (The youth).

Literature Review

Impact of social networking websites on the education of theyouthThe researcher tries to portray, social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are gaining popularity with the pace of time and due to their attractive features, the youth of today’s generations fascinated towards them. The study argues against the notion claiming that due to the rapid popularity of social networking sites the youth tends to distract themselves from their studies and professions but on the contrary is also developing friendly and social ties with the world that revolves around them.

This paper elucidates that men spend more time as compared to women on social networking sites to review these social issues and yet women are very sensitive to issues like these existing in the world. The youth takes active participation and also raises their voices in order to express their opinions and views on social issues being discussed on these sites. Also, the findings state that even though the youth reciprocates to these events they still do not take up discussions beyond the web and forget about them once they sign off. Thereby, this site proved to be a boon to the youth in terms of spreading awareness about these issues that arise.

Impact of social networking sites on studentsThis study establishes the fact that out of all the respondents targeted, nearly 55.4% of the total population from people ranging in the age group 15 to 25 use social networking sites and also states that most of the users from the same age group use these sites as a medium to seek entertainment.

In terms of gender division, male users are more as compared to female users wherein male users generally derive knowledge-based information from these sites. It focuses on the fact that most of the youth use these sites due to the influence of their friends and just because their friends have been using and accessing these sites. This also illustrates the academic performance of students using social networking sites. Students acquiring 3.0 to 3.5 GPA in examinations are most inclined to these sites for entertainment.

The effect of social networking sites on adolescents’ social and academic development: Current theories and controversies paper offer a review of the emerging research surrounding social networking sites and youth. The technologies and offers of these sites are such that they fascinate and attract the youth and teenage. Determining its popularity, parents and educators have lent an ear.