Impact of Social Networking Sites on the Youth of India

IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES(SNS) ON THE YOUTH OF INDIA : A BIRD’S EYE VIEW. Ruchi Sachdev College of Management Studies Kanpur (UP) India Abstract-This paper is focused to find out the answer whether the social networking sites are boon or bane for today’s society. No doubt these SNS provides employment ,marketing ,personal growth ,sharing of information but the most prevalent danger through often involves online predators or individuals. These SNS has great impact on youth of India. One can easily see the entry gate of these social networking sites but it is unable to find exit for these SNS.One side these sites provide to communicate with our dear ones on the other side it creates platform for many cyber crimes. Everyone should be understood that The SNS is a â€Å"child of† computing â€Å"by computing† but† for the society â€Å". So we focused on the fact that how SNS are implementing and used in an effective manner that is also beneficia l for Indian society and what are the role of Indian youth . In this paper we focused on the positive as well as negative impact of these social networking sites on the Indian youth and what are the ethical responsibilities of the users of these sites.Keywords-IEEE standards ,internet,WI-FI, elecommunication, , online ownership, online credibility. SNS(Social networking sites) are connected, both in their leisure time, and at work. There are various factors which have prompted us to consider the implications of these technologies for policy-making. One of these is the willingness of users to embrace SNS as a means of communication and social networking in everyday life. The increasing dependence on technology for basic communication also highlights the importance of analyzing how SNS are affecting daily processes.Sites like Face book, Friend ster and LinkedIn are influencing the way users establish, maintain and cultivate a range of social relationships, from close friendships to ca sual acquaintances. II CHARACTERISTICS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES The basic characteristics of social networking sites can be explained with the help of following table-1 FEATURES Presentation of oneself DESCRIPTION The basic level of entry in most SNS is the setting up of a ‘profile': a personalized page developed by the user in which he/she presents him/herself to peers, through text, photos music and videos amongst others Functionalities.SNS allow users to mobilize and organize their social contacts and profiles in the way they want other members to see them. I INTRODUCTTON Social networking phenomenon has emerged over the past ten years. In that time, social networking sites (SNS) have grown from a niche to a mass online activity, in which tens of millions of internet users are engaged, both in their leisure time, and at work. However, there has been very little research on the socio-economic impact of these sites in the Indian context. In this paper we focused on the impa ct of these social networking sites on the youth of India in both positive as well as negative phase.Social networking is a phenomenon which has existed since society began. Human beings have always sought to live in social environments. The proliferation of social networking sites (SNS) and their pervasion in everyday practices is affecting how modern Indian youth societies manage their social networks. To a significant extent, SNS have shifted social networking to the Internet. In less than five years, these sites have grown from a niche online activity into a phenomenon through which tens of millions of internet users Externalization of dataThe externalization of networks is possibly one of the first times online users have been able to view their own online social networks, and share them with friends and the general public. Some SNS also support applications which allow users to describe the relation between themselves and other members. Though notions of virtual communities ha ve existed since the beginning of online applications, SNS support new ways for people to connect between themselves. Users of these sites may choose to communicate through various digital objects, such as tags and in-built applications within the SNS, such as the ‘visual shelf' application in Facebook.Users may join a community of book readers, connecting through books they have liked [4]. New ways for community formation Bottom-up activities SNS provide the ideal platforms through which users with similar values and interests can come together to collaborate effectively and cheaply. For instance, doctors can share and double check rare medical cases on health SNS such as Within3, or activists can organize a protest through sites like Care2 [5]. A major attribute of SNS' popularity is their simplicity.Anyone with basic internet skills can create and manage an online SNS presence. Prior to SNS, users gained an online presence by having a personal homepage [6]. The drawbacks we re that these homepages are not easy to create and development and hosting of the site often incur costs. In contrast, SNS are free of charge and open for anyone to join. Most of them require registration, while others limit membership through an invitation from members who are already members of the site. SNS support new points of entry to the internet: people's personal worlds.Until recently, people spoke of the internet in metaphors of places (cities, addresses, and homepages). Ease of use Figure 1: Graph 1[2] (a) Negative Impact of SNS on Youth of India Reorganization of Internet geography Table 1[5]: Taking all these characteristics together, we can observe significant changes in how users network and operate their social contacts according to different social environments. In particular, SNS seem to be influencing and shaping the way we communicate between ourselves and how we manage our social contacts.In considering the disadvantages, respondents identified a number of negat ive aspects of online social networking including: (i) the time-consuming nature of online social networking sites, Indian youth admitting that they waste a lot of time on these sites. (ii) Concern about access to personal information by others, with almost half of the youth worried that â€Å"non friends? may see their personal information. (iii) Concern that information posted may be used against them. The waste timing percentage of Indian youth on SNS can be explained with the graph shown it figure 2. IIISOCIAL IMPACT OF SNS ON INDIAN YOUTH There has been significant interest and concern about the risks of online social networking because of access to personal information and the anonymity that the system allows. A number of public cases of bullying and identity theft have put this issue in the public arena. In the survey participants were asked whether they have ever had a bad social networking experience. A considerable number of respondents in a survey (28%) reported having h ad a negative online experience with adults aged below 30 the most likely to export this (60%).These participants were asked to provide further information about the negative experience. For most respondents the experience reflected unwanted contact or people posting in appropriate or upsetting information online. Some respondents specified having online bullying and provided examples such as abusive messages and harassment from someone of the opposite sex. The number of users using SNS according to age group can be explained with the help of the graph shown it figure 1. Figure 2: Graph 2[3] b) Other Negative Impacts Of Sns The negative effects of a new technology are never fully visible in the initial stages due the hype and excitement involved. However with time we observe the more time we spend online the more connected we get hence the urge to not miss out on anything this induces an invisible layer of stress and pressure on the individuals. The very fabric of our societies is n ow beginning to take a new shape. scientist has warned. Sites such as Face book, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans, encourage instant gratification and make young people more self-centered. i) My fear is that these technologies are infantilizing the brain into the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, which have a small attention Span and who live for the moment. (ii) A 2010 Case Western Reserve School of Medicine study showed hyper-networking (more than three hours on social networks per day) and hyper texting (more than 120 text messages per day) correlated with unhealthy behaviors in teens, including drinking, smoking and sexual activity.Hyper-networking was also associated with depression, substance abuse, poor sleep patterns, suicide and poor academic performance [4]. (iii) While the above studies show actual correlations between social networking and negative consequences, others argue that many other negative consequ ences may exist that have not yet been studied. Some of the harmful effects people suggest social networking has that have not yet yielded conclusive study results include: can also be positives. I guess there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to the effect social networks are having on us all in this day and age.It has never been easier to make friends than it is right now, mainly thanks to social networking sites. Just a few decades ago it was pretty tough to connect with people, unless you were the overly outgoing type able to make conversation with anyone at a party. The rise of mobile phones helped change this, connecting people in a new way, but then social networks sprang up and the whole idea of friendship changed once more and forever. It’s entirely possible to have hundreds of friends on Face book.They may not be friends you know on a personal level and spend time with in the real world on a weekly basis. But they’re friends nevertheless [7]. There are several people I consider friends who I have never met – indeed, I may never meet them – but that doesn’t lessen the connection we have thanks to social networks. Other major positive impacts are given as(d) Speedy Communication: Our time is being stretched thinner and thinner by work and family commitments, but social networking sites offer a chance to communicate in a speedy and efficient manner.Writing an update (i) Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, an eminent (ii) Encouraging poor grammar, usage, and spelling Allowing the spread of misinformation that may be perceived as fact even in light of evidence to the contrary. †¢ Exposing children to online predators †¢ Creating a culture in which a single mistake such as a racy picture or poorly thought-out comment can cause irreparable harm to your reputation †¢ Decreasing productivity as workers habitually check social networking sites while they should be working. Providing information that increases the risk of identity theft. (c) Positive Impact of Social Networking Sites Social networking isn’t for everyone, but it’s now such a massive part of all our lives, whether we embrace or reject the notion, that it can no longer be ignored. But are social networking sites such as Face book, Twitter, and Google+ a force for good or evil? As with most questions there are multiple angles to approach this quandary from.Having already looked at the negative impact of social networking sites on society, I thought it only fair to redress the balance. Every ying has its yang, after all. Using the previous article as a loose template it’s clear to see that what some people would conceive as negatives for Twitter takes all of 20 seconds and with cross-posting over other social networks switched on, that update reaches everyone you want it to reach (and probably more besides) in an instant[5] . Social networking sites a llow you to live a life unhindered by small talk. e) In Touch with the world: It isn’t just your inner circle of close friends and even closer family members that social networking sites allow you to communicate with easily and effectively, either. They open the world up to you, making it a smaller place than it has ever been before. So much so that I actually haven’t a clue where many of my contacts reside. When it comes to social networks everyone is equal, regardless of location. Family living abroad can be kept abreast of the latest happenings in your world as quickly as those living next door.Friends who you haven’t seen since school, and who have since moved away, are able to keep in touch. Location-based services such as Foursquare and Gowalla emphasize your location but social networking as a whole means it has become a lot less important. Social networking sites have made the world a smaller place. (f) Building Relationships: There is no doubting that s ocial networking sites can lead to the breaking up of relationships. But there is another side to the tale, which is that people are moving onto other, perhaps better, relationships at the same time.Social networks can put you (back) in touch with those you have lots in common with, and that common ground is often the starting point for longlasting relationships. (f) Promises of Ownership and Authorship Online. (g) Maintain Credibility. So the youth of Indian can play an important role to reduce the negative impact of social networking sites sucha that it can be used in the beneficial way. V CONCLUSION IV ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUTH USING SNS The new digital social networking media are a frontier that is rich with opportunities and risks, particularly for young people.Through SNS technologies, young people are participating in a range of activities, including social networking, blogging, vlogging, gaming, instant messaging, downloading music and other content, uploading and shar ing their own creations, and collaborating with others in various ways. Five key issues are at stake in the new social networking media identity, privacy, ownership and authorship, credibility, and participation [8]. These issues decide the social and ethical responsibilities of the youth that using the services of social networking sites. a) Every person that using the SNS should be aware about their rights and moral responsibilities. (b) We should respect the authentication and privacy of those members that are using SNS. (c ) We should follow the ethics of online identity. (d) Create culture of disclosure. (e) Online, a number of strategies—including privacy settings, selective disclosure, code switching, and deception are used by youth to control the presentation of their identities and thereby manage their privacy. Most social networking sites have privacy settings that allow users o limit access to their profiles to a narrow audience of confirmed friends, and evidence s uggests that many young people use them. (e) The online culture of disclosure holds important promises for young people, including empowerment of themselves and others, the creation of communities of support around shared struggles, and the development of a broad ethical sense of responsibility with respect to privacy. No doubt that SNS has great impact on the Indian youth it has lot of challenges which we have to face .There are many questions arise when we think about the impact of these SNS that What does it mean to manage online privacy in an ethical manner? How do online spaces facilitate and undermine ethical thinking about privacy? How much personal information is reasonable to share online? Young people who share personal experiences online taking steps to protect their own and others’ identities, and are these steps sufficient? Is it reasonable for young people to expect a certain measure of privacy when it comes to their online lives?Who is at fault when an unintend ed audience can read a young person’s revealing blog or MySpace page? So we should focus on the ethical use of these SNS so that it serves our society in a right way and the youth can play an important role because SNS is a boob and curse both for the Indian society . In one hand it provides away to connect our dear ones on the other side it gives a platform that become danger for Indian heritage and culture. REFERENCES [1] Introduction to SNS technology, Retrieved on September 24, 2006 From www. wi-fitechnology. om [2] Consumer Reports (2010). Social insecurity: What millions of online users don't know can hurt them. Retrieved from http://www. consumerreports. org/cro/magazinearchive/2010/june/elec tronics-computers/social-insecurity/overview/index. htm [3] Nie, N. H. & Hillygus, D. S. (2002). The impact of internet use on sociability: Time-diary findings. IT & Society, 1, 1 – 20. [4] IEEE 802. 16 and WiMAX: Social networking sites Access for Everyone, Intel Corporati on, 2003. http://www. intel. com/ebusiness/pdf/SNS/intel/80216_wimax. df [5] The Role of Technology in Telecom Expansion in India†, IEEE Communication Magazine, Vol. 36, No. 11, pp 88-94, November, 1998. [6] Bender off, E. 2007. â€Å"Cheating a Real Problem in youth’s Virtual World. † Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 1, 2008, from http://www. chicagotribun e. com/business/chi-0703080167mar08,0, 4256114story? cull=chi-bizfont-hed. [7] Of com. (2008). Social networking: A quantitative and qualitative research report into attitudes, behaviors and use. Retrieved from http://stakeholders. ofcom. org. uk/binaries/research/medialiteracy/report1. pdf