Capitalization of Information Through Social Media

 (A Study on the Youth of GJUS&T)

Prof (Dr.) Manoj Dayal*
Dr. Sunaina Narang**

Social Media is growing rapidly. It is affecting our lives on a large scale with the use of digital media technologies such as PC, Internet, I-pod, I-phone and Mobiles etc. It has revolutionized the communication process. It has become easy, inexpensive and rapid to interact with people. It seems impossible to live without the social media. People have become global citizens of a globalised society with the help of internet. They are able to communicate with persons around the world. People not only want to stay in contact with ones they know or their relatives but also with persons in other communities, cities, continents and across the races.

Social media has become the first preference of the youth for entertainment. Internet provides information in interesting and entertaining ways. It is easy to understand. It is quick. People do not bother to go to practical classes to learn any skill when they can learn it in their homes or offices with demonstration on internet. It saves money and time to use the internet rather than learn the traditional way.

The government has started using internet for official uses and is promoting the social media in rural areas for the development of the society. The government has announced new policies and plans for educating the people in rural or underdeveloped areas so that they can get more and more facilities offered by the government. A common man can pay the electricity and water bills online with one click of the mouse. One can buy or sell things in lesser time.

Those in the age group of 15-35 years constitute nearly one-third of our country’s population. They are the important target audience for the planners and policy makers. Their views are extremely important for framing and implementing government policies, which may affect them directly and indirectly. The youth of our country who are educated and motivated are looking for jobs. They are a powerful, dynamic, vibrant and strong human resource of our country.

The young Indians are getting closer to each other worldwide with the help of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, My Space, etc. They get to know different people, cultures, communities and societies. They make groups according to their likes and interest; community-wise, sometimes across inter-community or inter-country. They seek information from internet about places, persons or topics they want to know about.

With social media, youths are getting addicted to internet which has both positive and negative impact on their minds and life-styles. As global citizens they prefer to chat with those they get to know on internet rather than those who are around them physically. They spend more time on the or online games instead of playing games on the field. We can say that the social media is keeping the youth away from the real world.

Excessive use of social media has an adverse effect on youths’ health, mental development, life style and social behaviour. There are increasing cyber crimes as well which includes making fake IDs, hacking and phishing etc.

Hence, it is necessary to know the extent of social media use by the youth and their media habits. The researchers had three main objectives to know about the social media use by the youth.

OBJECTIVES

1. To study the media habits of the youths.
2. To find out the credibility and reliability of the media for the youths.
3. To analyze the social media usage by the youths.

METHODOLOGY

The population of the study comprised of youths (studying at post-graduation level).The sample of the study comprised of 100 selected youths who were new media users studying at post-graduation level at GJUS&T, Hisar.

The researchers have adopted the purposive Random Sample Survey Method to draw the sample. The youths were contacted personally and they were oriented about the purpose of the study. Post-graduate students were selected as sample.

DATA INTERPRETATION

The researchers developed structured questionnaire for data collection containing 14 close ended questions.

 Fig. No. 1

Figure No. 1 shows the gender of the respondents of the study. As shown in the diagram, the collected sample consisted of 48 per cent males and 52 per cent females. The study was conducted in GJUS&T University, Hisar. In the sample drawn, the number of females exceeds the number of males. Therefore, the concept and opinion provided to other responses might be slightly skewed towards the females.

Fig. No. 2

Figure No. 2shows the age of respondents. Three age categories were included, viz, 18 per cent respondents in the age group below 18, 57 per cent in the 18 to 24 years age category and 25 in 25 to 30 age category.

 Fig. No. 3

Figure No. 3 shows that 100 per cent youths have their own mobile phones.

Fig. No. 4

Figure No. 4 shows that 78 per cent youths use their phone for conversations only and there are four  per cent youths who uses mobiles for downloading songs and other entertaining items. There are 18 per cent youths who use mobile phones for other uses instead of conversation and downloading.

Fig. No. 5

According to Figure No. 5, 34 per cent youths watch TV or surf internet alone and24 per cent involve their parents while watching TV. There are 42 percent youths who watch TV with their siblings or friends.

Fig. No. 6

As the Figure No. 6 shows, 20 per cent of the sample use SMS service for communication while 10 per cent youths do not even use message services. There are 30 per cent youths who use SMS services to only forwarding the text but 40 per cent youths use SMS service for other reasons.

Fig. No. 7

Figure No. 7 above depicts that 48 per cent youths download news on their mobiles occasionally and 10 per cent youths download news daily but there are 42 per cent youths who never download news on their mobile phones.

Fig. No. 8

According to Figure No. 8, all the respondents surf the NET.

Fig. No. 9

As Figure No. 9 shows, 76 per cent youths surf the NET on a regular basis. However, 24 per cent youths surf the NET once in a week.

Fig. No. 10

Figure No. 10 clearly shows that 60 per cent youths spend more than one hour on the NET very day. Thirty four per cent youths spend 30 minute to one hour in a day on the NET but six per cent youths use the NET everyday for less than 30 minutes.

Fig. No. 11

According to Figure No.11, 96 per cent youths have their own laptop/computer/ at their home and college but only 4 per cent youths surf the NET outside in a cyber café.

Fig. No. 12

Figure No. 12 shows that 74 per cent youths use their e-mail ID to communicate with friends and 26 per cent youths use is for the other purpose.

Fig. No. 13

Figure No. 13 illustrates that 32 per cent youths rely on internet and 30 per cent on the News to communicate with people. There are 28 per cent youths who rely on TV and 6 per cent on radio and 4 per cent youths think that mobile is the more reliable medium to talk to others.

Fig. No. 14

As Figure No. 14 shows, 60 per cent youths find the newspaper as the most credible medium of news and 20 per cent each think that TV and internet are also credible medium for news. Nobody feels that radio and mobile are credible mediums.

In reply to a question from the researchers about the sites they are using the respondents replied that Google, Yahoo, Gmail and Facebook are the sites which they used most. Other sites which are also surfed by the youths include Twitter, Music Sites and YouTube.

RESULT

1. 100 per cent youths use mobile phones.
2. 78 per cent use their phones for conversation, 4 per cent for downloading songs and other entertaining items and 18 per cent for other uses.
3. 34 per cent youths watch TV or surf internet alone, 24 per cent involve their parents and 42 per cent youths watch TV with their siblings or friends.
4. 20 per cent youths use SMS service for communication while 30 per cent youths use SMS services only to forward the text but 40 per cent use SMS service for other reasons. Also, 10 per cent youth do not even use message services.
5. 48 per cent youths download news on their mobiles occasionally,10 per cent youths download daily but 42 per cent youths never download news on their mobiles.
6. All the respondents surf the NET.
7. 76 per cent youths surf the NET on a regular basis however 24 per cent youths surf the NET once a week.
8. 60 per cent youths spend more than one hour on the NET every day, 34 per cent youths spend 30 minutes to one hour in a day and 6 per cent youths use the NET everyday for less than 30 minutes.
9. 96 per cent youths have their own laptop/computer/tab/at their home and college but only 4 per cent youths surf the NET from outside in a cyber café.
10. 74 per cent youths use their e-mail ID to communicate with friends and 26 per cent youths use it for other purpose.
11. 32 per cent youths rely on internet, 30 per cent on News, 28 per cent on TV and 6 per cent on radio but 4 per cent youth think that the mobile is a more reliable medium to talk to others.
12. Newspaper is the most credible media among youths.
13. Mostly, youths think the media is fair in its coverage.
14. Google, Yahoo, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, music sites and YouTube are the most visited sites among youths.

SUGGESTIONS

• Parents should monitor the sites their children are surfing.
• Parents should guide them regarding getting maximum benefits from social media.
• Parents should make them aware of the adverse effects or ill use of social media.
• The adult sites could be locked by the service provider.
• The youths should be aware of punishments for cyber crime.
• Teachers can guide youths not to surf or use those sites which are not good for them.
• Parents and teachers should build a responsibility factor in the youth towards society so that they avoid using restricted sites.
• Parents should discuss with their children about the social media they are using and the sites they don’t like.
• Teachers should teach youths about their moral values so that they stay away from sites which are not good for them.

REFERENCE

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