The popularity of the social networking sites increased rapidly in the last decade. This is probably due to the reason that college and university students as well as teens used it extensively to get global access. These social networking sites such as Whats App, Wechat, Twitter and Facebook have become a raging craze for everyone nowadays. The negative effects of these social networking sites overweigh the positive ones. These sites have caused some potential harm to society. The students become victims of social networks more often than anyone else. This is because of the reason that when they are studying or searching their course material online. They get attracted to these sites and social apps to kill the boredom in their study time through surfing late night on their cell phones or computers which diverting their attention from their work. Some of the most major negative side effects of social networking websites and apps include the following:
Influencing the early love relationship among the teenagers:
Are teens being pressured to “grow up” too fast? Recent statistics regarding social media and teens point to yes, they are 95% of all teens, ages 13-17, are online with 80% utilizing social media, the Internet, and social networks. Recent statistics reveal that social media has a very large influence over teens’ conceptions of dating and relationships.
Secondly all teens using Face book, Whats app messenger, We chat for instance, state they seek love through Facebook, Whats app messenger, We chat but just like dating in the real world, there is a dark side. Teens using Facebook, Whats app messenger, We chat for love sometimes receives unwanted or explicit attention. The revealing statistics don’t stop there though, as social media, namely social networks have a large impact upon dating and relationship norms for teens.
About 46% of teens feel that the Internet influences what their boyfriend or girlfriend expect from them in terms of relationship behaviour. Clearly teens are feeling an influence from social media on how to date and manage a relationship. The dating search or even relationships through social media, networks, and even instant messaging services (IM) sometimes results in behaviour or attention from the opposite sex that crosses the line, that makes teens feel uncomfortable and sometimes pressured to reciprocate.
Reduced learning and research capabilities:
Students have started relying more on the information accessible easily on these social networking sites and the web. This reduces their learning and research capabilities.
Multitasking:
Students who get involved in activities on social media sites while studying result in reduction in their focus of attention. This causes reduction in their academic performance, and concentration to study well.
Reduction in real human contact:
The more time the students spend on these social media sites the less time they will spend socializing in person with others. This reduces their communication skills. They will not be able to communicate and socialize effectively in person with others. The employers are getting more and more unsatisfied with the communication skills of the fresh graduates due to this reason. The effective communication skills are key to success in the real world.
Reduces command over language use age and creative writing skills:
Students mostly use slang words or shortened forms of words on social networking sites. They start relying on the computer grammar and spelling check features. This reduces their command over the language and their creative writing skills.
Time wastage:
Students while searching and studying online get attracted to using social media sites and sometimes they forget why they are using internet. This wastes their time and sometimes students are not able to deliver their work in the specified time frame.
Low grades:
Students get low grades in school due to lack of the desired information and writing skills.
Loss of motivation in students:
The student’s motivational level reduces due to the use of these social networking sites. They rely on the virtual environment instead of gaining practical knowledge from the real world.
Effect on health and day to day life:
The excessive use of these sites affects the mental as well as physical health. Students do not take their meals on time and take proper rest. They take excessive amount of coffee or tea to remain active and focused which effects negatively on their health. The overuse of these sites on a daily basis has many negative effects on the physical and mental health of students making them lethargic and unmotivated to create contact with the people in person.
Measure’s to be taken to stop the negativity of theis social networking and social apps:
The parents should check the balance of their children when they use the internet and cell phones. They should be on guard and alert whether they are using it for appropriate right things or not and for proper time period or not and strictly prohibit the late night use of cell phones of their children’s. The parents and teachers should also help students make them aware of the negative effects and explain what they are losing in the real world by sticking to these social networking sites and apps.
Written by:
KHAN MOHAMMED AKRAM MATLOOB.
TY.BMS “A”, PILLAI COLLEGE OF ARTS
COMMERCE & SCIENCE.A
Overuse of anything can cause harm