See

discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281062374

Impact of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) On

Youth

Article · August 2015

DOI: 10.15192/PSCP.ASR.2015.11.1.610

CITATION READS

1 8,202

3 authors:

Zahid Akram Maqsood Mahmud

Islamia Law College, Peshawar University of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal
1 PUBLICATION 1 CITATION 40 PUBLICATIONS 75 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Arshad Mahmood
Universiti Sains Malaysia
17 PUBLICATIONS 3 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Medical Assistive Tool View project

Spiritual Intelligence View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Arshad Mahmood on 18 August 2015.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. All in-text references underlined in blue are added to the original document
and are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
 App. Sci. Report.
Applied Science Reports 11 (1), 2015: 6-10
www.pscipub.com/ASR © PSCI Publications
E-ISSN: 2310-9440 / P-ISSN: 2311-0139
DOI: 10.15192/PSCP.ASR.2015.11.1.610

Impact of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) On Youth

Zahid Akram1*, Maqsood Mahmud2, Arshad Mahmood3
1. Lecturer at Department of Sociology, University of Swabi (Pakistan).
2. (Post Doc) Researcher at Department of Information Systems, College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS) King
Saud University, Riyadh, (Saudi Arabia).
3. PhD student at School of Management University Sains Malaysia, (Penang Malaysia).
Correspondence author email: Zahidaen@gmail.com

Paper Information ABSTR ACT

This paper aims to examine the impact of social networking sites on youth
Received: 19 April, 2015 in twin city (Islamabad & Rawalpindi). The paper is based on quantitative
research. Random sample of 270 respondents were selected from four
Accepted: 7 June, 2015 universities of Islamabad and two universities of Rawalpindi for collecting
relevant data. Questionnaire was employed as a tool of data collection. The
Published: 20 July, 2015 paper reveals that majority of the respondents were users of social
networking sites (SNSs). The common perception among the population
Citation was that the SNSs had both positive and negative impact on them. Mostly
respondents were related to face book as the most user friendly SNS. The
Akram Z, MahmudM, Mahmood A. 2015. Impact of study revealed that users of SNS avoid social gathering and had less
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) On Youth. Applied Science physical interaction with people. Use of SNS had made young generation
Reports, 11 (1), 6-10. Retrieved from www.pscipub.com more confident, creative, well dressed, social related to each other, well
(DOI:10.15192/PSCP.ASR.2015.11.1.610) behaved and brought improved in language. However more use of SNS
resulted in different kinds of health problems such as weakness in eye sight,
headache, laziness, tension and backache. It is suggested that parents should
keep a check on their children to decrease the negative and excessive use
of SNS.Today’s generation is using various social networking sites on the
internet such as Orkut, Facebook, Myspace, Yahoo messenger, Twitter etc.
these social networking sites are providing attractive opportunities to avail
the facilities provided by them such as making friends, chatting, sharing
pictures, videos etc. excessive use of these sites is affecting social life
style of people. Excessive use of SNSs resulted in many health problems
among youth. It also adversely influenced face to face communication
and weakens ties with relatives due to excessive spending time on computer
usage for social networking. The other social and health problems are also
increasing among the excessive users of SNS. This paper focus on the
impact of social networking sites on youth and how their life is changed
due to these sites.The primary objective of present study was to explore
and analyze the socio economic characteristics, effect of social networking
sites on the social relationship, changing behavior and life style of young
generation. Moreover, to explore the health issues due to excessive usage
of social networking sites, and to suggest appropriate measures to minimize
the negative effects of social networking sites on youth.
© 2015 PSCI Publisher All rights reserved.
Key words: Social Networking Sites (SNSs), Business Networking Sites (BNSs), Twin City, Computer Mediated Communication (CMC), America O nline
(AOL)

Introduction
Social networking is the grouping of the individuals in the shape of small communities or a subdivided peer group. Where
they can share and get firsthand information from each other. Social network grouping is possible in every field of life; it can be
social networking of college, university, work place, or other social activities. It is a sort of online social networking, where
mostly social websites are used. These sites such as MySpace, Yahoo, Skype, Facebook etc are design to provide a plate form t o
the individuals to express their self. To be the active user of these sites an individual can establish a strong tie with his col lege
friend and family member none physically and can obtain the diverse information from the verity of the sources. (Wasko &
Faraj, 2005). Social networking that is online, supplies a link to the people on the way to build and maintain feeble,
intermediate or a strong tie to each other, its basic function is to exchange information. The structure of internet and its ability
enable the people to have a relationship with those people to whom they have not met in their actual life. Such kind of some
relations can consider fragile ties as it is based on just information sharing, while some of these can be considered strong ties as it
is based on frequent communication, without physical presence even. (Wellman, et., al,. 1996) Therefore one can obtain that
 App. Sci. Report. 11 (1), 2015: 6-10

social networks have the ability to build a network of the users with having communication to each other by growing one’s
overall significant network and introduction. The SNSs from the last five years has become a key and rout of Medias cape of the
World Wide Web. These sites (Facebook & MySpace are mostly) allow a user to create a personal profile for him.. This profile
is filled with personal information, profile picture including his favorite movies, books, music of the user. Some of these profiles
are having personal information and pitcher can be partially or completely fake. One user can add another user as a friend wi th
him to whom he can share or send private and public updates and messages. The modern and advance forms of Computer Mediated
Communication (CMC) are the social networking. This form of communication is based on instant messaging or email that is a
substitute of physical interaction to maintain the communication process more fast and easy. (Nyland, 2007).

Literature Review
The base of social networking sites was being established by launching a website “Classmates.com” in 1995. By the time
social networking has been getting popularity and rapidly growing. Since that time till now more than 200 sites are being launched.
The usage of these SNSs has been increased by the individuals, and now MySpace has become more popular in the American
communities. (The Economist, Sep. 2006). In spite of SNSs becoming famous rapidly among individuals, the study of the effect of
SNSs is very necessary, because SNSs are the phenomena mostly related to the youngster. SNSs popularity in the young, demanded
to do more research on its effects on them. The research on the online SNSs has done previously resulted that online SNSs establish
weak tie, instead of a strong relationship. (Donath & boyd, 2004). Still this quarrel has never been examining thoroughly and it
has lack of a crystal clear apparent. Because the communication of SNSs has diverted into business networking sites (BNS).
These business networking are change from the MySpace & co. the users are having a strong professional tie on these
website. (Ellison et al., 2006).
The past ways of communication has been quickly and dramatically changed by the inventions of the latest
technologies. According to American Life & Pew internet Project data, 92% of internet user receive or else send emails via
message. Electronic mail enables the users to connect to the people of the world to share or get the opinion on a huge number s of
topics, with almost all of the issues of the world. The “Healingwell.com” a website has 50,000 or more members, providing a
plate form to the user for asking or giving answers of numbers of medical conditions. In the mid of 1990s the instant messagi ng
got popularity among the people. Not just among the friend, but also in the business people America Online (AOL) has become a
common application. The websites which are for made of dating online, get 40 million distinctive users every month, which is
best substitute, easy and a quick way to an individual in his private activities then the traditional physically ways. (Ellison et al.,
2007).
Social networking provides environment of grouping to the individuals. These grouping can be made online and it is
just like the small communities. These groups can be in the universities, high schools, college, or work place where they share
their firsthand information, experience and knowledge to each other. SNSs such as Yahoo and Facebook are very famous among
the users which allow them to create their own profile containing his own pitcher and personal information. It is also having a
privacy setting that what should show to whom and what shouldn’t. The profile pitcher and the information a user maybe fake.
On these sites one can communicate with other numerously like to comment on pitchers, sending messages or posting
information. A user can maintain or create communication with his friends by these characteristics of social networking sites .
(Vitak, 2008)
Lots of the research has been conducted on impact of social networking sites in both fields of literature and media.
Maximum of these researches are always focusing the youth, because of their altering behavior with respect to their privacy a nd
openness with other adults. (Acquisti & Gross, 2006).Many factors are there in the research to focus on the youngster as the
SNSs users. The one and main factor of the research on youth SNS user is this that they are adopting these sites very early t hat’s
why they are studied as a first group. Due to lack of awareness of SNSs technology, the use of SNS became a risk associated
with privacy issue because of its using everywhere. (Brandtzeag et al., 2010). A dramatic increase has been found from the la st
five years in the use of social networking sites that are network base services to enable the users (1) to create a bounded system
public profile, (2) to eloquent a catalog of other user to whom they allocate an association, (3) view as well as navigate th eir
catalog of links and those prepared by others inside the system. (Boyd and Ellison, 2007).
Social networking sites using became a very comment act among the youngster. Facebook, Twitter an MySpace are considered
those websites which are used of social interaction, blogs and You Tube are the sites to share or watch videos, Second life and
Club Penguin are the sites of games. These kinds of sites are used for the interaction and entertainment by the youth. It is very
necessary to the parents to be aware of the nature of such websites, because these social networking sites are also containing that
material which is not providing a kind healthy environment to the youth. (Keeffe et al., 2011).
Among the youngster especially in the college students the Facebook has become much dominated. The youngster appears
to be related in the political activities and makes participation in social activities by the usage of Facebook. One can easily say
that social awareness and engagement in those activities to change the behavior of youngster and getting satisfact ion of sharing
information to one another is the specific feature of Facebook. (Valenzuela et, al., 2009)
The websites of social network just like YouTube & MySpace have significant role during the general election
campaigns of United States in 2006.On these websites the age of voter, total population and the method of poling vote were
shown, which represent the youth as the generation of internet in U.S. These sites provide an environment to the candidate to be
known or being popular, by sending their motives and message to the local citizen. SNSs helped the less known candidates to b e
known and more popular to the local people. It allow the candidates and their party members to do fast campaigns by SNSs and

7
 App. Sci. Report. 11 (1), 2015: 6-10

also enable the campaign staff for the new volunteers recruitments online. On the other hand these sites (YouTube & Myspace)
also raised hurdles to the staff of campaign because the same SNSs have been used too by the other parties’ members for the
election campaign and to send the message and picture of their party’s candidate. The main benefit and also a big challenge o the
campaign staff of the different parties and to their candidates were the image and the message to the local citizen, by the candidates,
which was a great influence of the SNSs have on the general election of U.S in 2006. These social networking sites also boost up
the awareness in the citizen of the people to pole their vote to the right candidate. (Gueorguieva, v., 2007).

Methodology
The present study was conducted in twin cities namely, Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Universe of this study comprised of
six different universities, four located in Islamabad i.e.(International Islamic University, Quaid-e-Azam University, Bahria
University and Iqra University), and two located in Rawalpindi i.e. (Arid Agriculture University and Fatima Jinnah Women
University). A random sample of 270 respondents had been selected (45 respondents from each university) from the six sampled
universities. 180 respondents were selected from four universities of Islamabad and the rest 90 respondents were selected from
two universities of Rawalpindi.

Analysis and interpretation

Analysis and interpretation of data are mainly important steps involved in scientific research. Without these steps,
generalization level and prediction cannot be achieved. The data collected for the following paper enabled about social
networking effects and its usage. Moreover, its advantages and their other output of usage have been discussed in the following.

Table 1. Average Hours Used For SNS, Age When Started Using SNS And Time Frequently Used For SNS
Average Hours Used For SNS
Sr. No. Categories Frequency Percentage
1. Less Than One Hour a Day 113 41.9
2. 1-3 hours 119 44.1
3. 4-6 hours 23 8.5
4. 7-9 hours 11 4.1
5. 10+ hours 04 1.5
Total 270 100
Age when started using SNS
Sr. No Categories Frequency Percent
1. 10-15 years 76 28.1
2. 16-20 years 131 48.5
3. 21-25 years 57 21.1
4. 26-30 years 51 1.9
5. 30+ years 1 0.4
Total 270 100
Time Frequently Used For SNS
Sr. No Categories Frequency Percent
1. Morning 3 1.1
2. After Noon 44 16.3
3. Evening 69 25.6
4. Night 70 25.9
5. Any Time 84 31.1
Total 270 100

Table 1 represents number of hours, the respondents for SNS. The majority (44.1 %) of the respondents use 1-3 hours
daily for SNS and 41.9% use less than an hour a day. From the remaining respondents, 8.5% use 4-6 hours, 4.1% use 7-9 hours
and 1.5% respondents use more than 10 hours a day for SNS. This illustrates that majority of the respondents use 1-3 hours a day
for SNS.
The table also presents the age distribution of respondents when they started using SNS. It discloses that majority (48.5%) o f the
respondents started using SNS at the age group of 16-20 years and 28.1% started at the age of 10-15 years. Among the rest of the
respondents, 21.1% started at the age group of 21-25 years, 1.9% from 26-30 years and only 0.4% started at the age of 30 years
and above. This shows that majority of the respondents started using SNS from the age of 16-20 years.
Table further elaborates the time schedule of the respondents regarding SNS usage. It shows that majority (3.1%) of the
respondents use SNS at any time, this means they have not specified any time for SNS usage. From the remaining categories,
25.9% of the respondents use SNS frequently at night, 25.6% in evening, and 16.3% in afternoon while 1.1% uses SNS in
morning time. This shows that majority of the respondents have no time schedule for SNS usage, they use it at any time.

8
 App. Sci. Report. 11 (1), 2015: 6-10

Table 2. SNS Used By the Respondents and Most User-Friendly SNSs

Which SNS The Respondents Use
Sr. No. Categories Frequency Percent
1. Face book 92 34.1
2. MSN messenger 11 4.1
3. Orkut 09 3.3
4. Twitter 6 2.2
5. Yahoo messenger 40 14.8
6. Skype messenger 15 5.6
7. Face book + MSN messenger 28 10.4
8. Face book 28 10.4
9. All above (plus yahoo, chat rooms, community forums 41 15.2
,my space)
Total 270 100
Most User Friendly SNS
Sr. NO Categories Frequency Percent
1. Face book 174 64.4
2. MSN Messenger 12 4.4
3. Orkut 10 3.7
4. Twitter 10 3.7
5. Yahoo Messenger 21 7.8
6. Skype Messenger 23 8.5
7. Ovoo Messenger 03 1.1
8. Chat Rooms 06 2.2
9. Community Forums 05 1.9
10. My Space 06 2.2
Total 270 100

The table 2 shows the Social Networking Sites (SNS) used by the respondents. The majority (31.1%) of the respondents
use Facebook while 15.2% use all the above mentioned SNS. About 4.8% of the respondents are using Yahoo messenger while
10.4% are using MSN messenger along with Facebook. From the remaining, 5.6% are using Skype messenger, 4.1% use MSN
messenger, while Orkut and Twitter is being used by 3.3 and 2.2% respondents respectively.
The above table further demonstrates the most user friendly SNS according to survey respondents. This shows that
majority that majority (64.4%) of the respondents have rated Facebook as the most user friendly SNS, 8.5% considered Skype
and 7.8% Yahoo messenger as the most user friendly SNS. MSN messenger was considered to be the user friendly SNS by 4.4%
respondents. 3.7% respondents think Orkut and Twitter and 2.2% considered chat rooms and my space as most user friendly
SNS. Least user friendly SNS was considered to be Community Forums and Ovoo messenger as marked by 1.9 and 1.1%
respectively. This shows that Facebook is the most user friendly SNS.
The tables under discussion show that we are living in an ever more networked globe. People be linked to everyone
throughout various type of tie, by social networking sites contribution one of the most accepted method is that public presently
occupy to tie themselves jointly, except performed “traditional” way of increasing and maintaining interaction bear since the
progression of PC- mediate. Interaction online social networks supply a mean of persons to maintain well-built, transitional and
feeble tie, by the main job of online communication became the substitute of information. For the reason that the composition of
the internet and the capacity toward together surf huge amount of information as well as to stay unspecified, individuals have
been capable on the way to shape the relations in the company of individuals to whom might not meet within actual living.
Numerous of the relations will consider feeble relations, when relationships that based only on allocation or exchange of
information; on the other hand, numerous, only-online associations can consider well-built association, as it let together regular
and shared communication, with lacking of bodily presence. SNSs online are having extra ordinary potential on the way to raise
an individual generally and considerably through different kinds of latest SNSs by his personal information available on it. These
SNSs like Facebook, Skype, Myspace, etc. are designed generally to establish new friendship relations in this global world, and
to maintain interaction and communication with the old friends and relatives with those who are for away from you.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Skype, MSN and yahoo messenger have engrossed millions of individuals,
lots of whom contain incorporated to the websites within their everyday practice. There are more than hundreds of Social
networking sites, having a variety of hi-tech affordances, sustaining an extensive vary of wellbeing and put into practice.
Whereas the key technical advantages are moderately reliable, the culture to appear about Social networking is speckled. It’s
none fine understands that how seclusion alarm and belief manipulate societal connections inside societal network websites.
Facebook users expressed considerably better confidence in together Facebook and its users, as well as further eager to allocate
identifying information.

Conclusion and discussion

It is concluded that majority of young people in twin city have access to the social networking sites and most of the
people have availability of internet at home. SNS is becoming popular medium of entertainment in the study area. Young
generation is spending a significant part of their time using social networking sites. While is partly responsible in wastage of
their precious time and bringing isolation in youth. Usage of SNS is influencing negative societal norms and values. Its excessive
usage results many health problems among young generation. It is concluded that many of the youngsters were using social

9
 App. Sci. Report. 11 (1), 2015: 6-10

networking sites such as Facebook, MSN, Yahoo, and Skype to connect with their relatives, family and friends. Access usage of
SNS is affecting the studies and relations of the young people.

Future Direction
The government should ban those SNS which are showing activities spoiling the youth and the value of th e society. All of
those parents whose children are the user of SNSs, must keep a strong check on their children that how, why, whom and on what
purpose they are having online interaction. The need of such online software is there, by which the parents of t he children can
check and measure the access of SNSs, to reduce the negative impact of social networking sites. Each and every one of the websites
wherever public networks to one another online ought to let user to manage entrée to their private information, and also supply
instinctive way to discontinue and report any contact swiftly.

Acknowledgment
This paper supported by the Research Center of College of Computer and Information Sciences (CCIS), King Saud
University. The authors are grateful for this support.

References
Acquisti A, Gross R.2006. imagined communities: awareness, information sharing and privacy on the facebook. [Online] availabl e from:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/11957454_3 (accessed 6 September 2009)
Boyd Danah M, Nicole B, Ellison. 2007. “social network sites: definition, history, and scholarship”, journal of computer -mediated communication, 13(1) article
11. Retrieved December 3, 2008
Brandtzaeg PB, Luders M, Skjetne JH.2010. “too many facebook friends”? Content sharing and sociabilit y versus the need for privacy in social network sites.
Journal of human-computer interaction, 26(11-12), 1006-1030.
Donath, Boyd. 2004. Kavanaugh, Reese, Carall, & Rosson, 2005; Ellison, Steinfield, Lampe, 2006.
Ellison N, Steinfield C, Lampe C.2006. spatially bounded online social networks and social capital: the role of Facebook. Annual conference of the international
communication association, June-12-13, 2006, Dresden, Germany.
Ellison NB, Steinfield C, Lampe C.2007. the benefits of facebook “friends”. Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of
computer-mediated communication. 12(4), 1145-1168.
Gueorguieva V.2007. Voters, Myspace and Youtube the impact of alternative communication channels on the 2006 Election Cyc le and beyond. Sage journals.
26(3), 288-300.
Keefe GS, Pearson KC.2011. The impact of Social Media on children, adolescents and families. Official journal of the American academy of pediatrics, 127(4).
Nyland R, Marvez R, Beck J.2007 Feb. Myspace: social networking or social isolation? Paper presented at the midwinter conference of the associ ation for
education in journalism and mass communication, remo, nv.
The economist (2006, September 16), social networking. Hanging with the incrowed, p. 81-82.
Velenzuela S, Park N, Kee KF.2009. is there social capital in a social network sites? Facebook use and college student’s life satisfaction, trust and participation.
Journal of computer-mediated communication, 14(4).
Vitak J.2008. Facebook “friends”: how online identity affects offline relationships. Master’s thesis, Georgetown University, Washington DC.
Wasko M, Faraj S. 2005. Why should I share? Examining social capital and knowledge contribution in electronic networks of pra ctice. Mis quarterly 29(1) 35-
37.
Wellman B, Quan Haase A, Witte J, Hampton K.1996. Does the internet increase, decrease or supplement social capital? Social networks, participation, and
community commitment. American behavioral scientist, 43(3): 436-455.

10

View publication stats