The Negative Effects Of Social Media On University Students

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS Abstract: As social media sites continue to grow in popularity, it is our premise that technology is a vital part in today’s student success equation. This descriptive, exploratory research study drew a random sample (N=15) of males (n=9) and females (n=6) who were administered a student perception questionnaire on how social media affects university students. Thirty-five percent of the participants were undergraduates and 65% were graduate students, studying at Bahria University. Thirty-one percent of participants have full-time jobs, 30% have part-time jobs and 39% do not have jobs. The results of the survey questionnaire indicate that 45% of the sample admitted that they spent 6-8 hours per day checking social media sites, while 23% spent more than 8 hours; 20% spent 2-4 hours and only 12% spent less than 2 hours on this task. Results indicate while most university students use social media and spend many hours checking social media sites, there was a negative aspect to university students’ use of social media. Introduction: The definition of social media is “the relationships that exist between network of people” . In the last ten years, the online world has changed dramatically. Thanks to the invention of social media, young men and women now exchange ideas, feelings, personal information, pictures and videos at a truly astonishing rate. However, every day, many students are spending countless hours immersed in social