Letter
of Acknowledgement:
With deep gratitude and reverence, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my class teacher, Sayma Arju, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Stamford University Bangladesh, for giving me the golden opportunity to undertake this wonderful project on the topic “The Influence of Social Networking on the Young Generation of Bangladesh.” This project has enabled me to conduct extensive research and learn about numerous new things. I am immensely thankful to her for her motivational guidance, assistance, and excellent cooperation in supervising this report-writing work.
Secondly, I extend my gratitude to my parents and friends who provided substantial help in completing this project within the limited time. I could not write this report without their help. The objective of creating this report is not only to obtain good marks but also to enhance my knowledge.
Lastly, I would like to express my thanks to all those who helped me accomplish this challenging task.
Abstract:
We are living in a time when technology plays a crucial role in human life. It is truly impossible to imagine spending even a single day without the touch of technology. Social media, or social networking, is considered the latest gift of technology, an online-based platform that has revolutionized society and altered the traditional communication system. However, it also exerts a negative influence on the younger generation. In recent years, individuals of various ages and professions in Bangladesh have expressed their concerns about the growing influence of social networking. This report illustrates how the younger generation is being affected by the influence of social networking sites and suggests measures to mitigate its side effects. The report also highlights the positive aspects of social networking and how young people can benefit from it. Additionally, it outlines effective steps to reduce the negative impact of social networking.
1.
Introduction:
Whether for personal or professional purposes, we cannot deny the importance of social networking sites. Their significance is increasing day by day. The appeal of social networking has spread among all age groups in the past few years, particularly among teens and younger adults. In modern days, people cannot imagine spending a single day without being involved with social networking. Therefore, it can be said that social networking has become part and parcel of our everyday lives. Undoubtedly, it plays a crucial role in our lives, and no one is exempt from its influence.
1.1
What is social networking:
It does not have a specific definition. The definition of social networking has been provided on some websites. According to these websites, we come to know that a social networking service is an online platform or site that helps people connect through messages and allows them to share their interests, activities, backgrounds, and many other things. It is also called social media. Examples of social media platforms include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Blogs, and mobile applications.
1.2
How does social networking service influence:
Social networking services have a significant influence on people of different ages. However, some surveys indicate that young or teenage individuals are more profoundly affected than adults. They are particularly drawn to this contemporary means of communication, leading them to be misguided by technology in various ways and potentially hindering the development of their careers. In this report, I will discuss the impact of social networking on the young generation of Bangladesh. It is important to note that acknowledging its influence does not refute the potential positive aspects or assistance it may provide to the young generation.
2.
Description:
As time progresses, more people will become involved in social media. Undoubtedly, in the future, social media will emerge as one of the most important mediums of communication. People will increasingly rely on it for interpersonal communication. It is certain that social media will simplify life for people, making communication with close friends and family a matter of just one or two clicks. Despite the numerous benefits of social media, the younger generation sometimes takes the wrong path.
2.1
Influences on young generation:
It has already been mentioned that the younger generation is more influenced than adults, experiencing a greater negative impact from using social media. Breaking free from the influence of social media proves challenging. If this trend continues, the future generation will undoubtedly endure prolonged difficulties, and our country will face a significant disaster that may not be easily or quickly rectified.
2.1.1
Cybercrime:
Cybercrime refers to a type of crime that involves a computer and a network. A person commits cybercrime with the help of the internet. It can be described as the use of deception on the internet. Cybercrime is not a new phenomenon in our country. However, the involvement of social crime has been increasing over time. It occurs in various forms, and often the younger generation is implicated in these activities.
2.1.1.1
Hacking:
Hacking is one of the most common crimes in the cyber world, and anyone is likely familiar with the term. Its definition may vary across different websites, but hacking generally refers to the illegal attempt to manipulate the normal behavior of network connections and connected systems. In simpler terms, hacking involves gaining unauthorized access to a server with the intent of stealing or acquiring information, such as a copy of a credit card database, or other types of attacks. Individuals engaged in hacking are commonly referred to as hackers.
2.1.1.2
Lack of concentration on education:
Due to their extensive involvement with social media, individuals pay less attention to education. When it is time to study, they often engage in communication with friends through social networking systems and prioritize less important tasks. This trend is particularly noticeable among the younger generation, leading to a decline in their interest in academic pursuits. This has the potential to have a negative impact on future generations.
2.1.1.3
Influence on health:
It has a negative influence on health as well. Both youths and children are losing interest in playing outdoor games, leading to various physical problems. They spend hours sitting in front of lifeless machines, resulting in weight gain and the start of diseases from a young age. Additionally, excessive use of social media can be harmful to eyesight. Users may experience eye fatigue and dryness, and physical fitness may decline due to a lack of exercise and mental sharpness. Someone spending excessive time on social media may suffer from headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome.
2.1.1.4
Fraudulency on net:
Fraudulence on the internet has become a common issue. People frequently fall victim to fraudulent activities on social media. Some individuals create fake profiles on social networking sites, providing incorrect information and manipulating the emotions of others. It is challenging to ascertain their real identity. These deceptive individuals emotionally blackmail their victims, exploiting their vulnerabilities for personal gain.
2.1.1.5
Adultery on Internet:
It has become one of the major concerns for internet users, with the young generation being the primary victims of adult content. They are drawn to sites that offer illegal, unethical, and offensive material, leading to the misguided development of the future generation and contributing to immoral behavior. In some instances, individuals create fake photos of someone and post them on various websites that contain offensive content, ultimately pushing the victim towards taking drastic measures such as suicide.
3.
Advantages:
Every coin has two sides. Similarly, social networking sites have both merits and demerits. Thus far, we have discussed the negative aspects of social media. Now, let us delve into the positive sides of social networking.
3.1
Help being connected with friends and family members:
It is perhaps the biggest advantage that we derive from social media. It does not matter where we are or how far we are; it helps us stay connected with our friends and family members all the time. It makes our lives easier, faster, and safer. Thanks to social media, the world has become smaller. Now, distance is not an obstacle in the path of communication. With social networking, making friendships with unknown people has become much easier. It will help you stay connected with those friends with whom you have not been in touch for years. Communicating with others has become much cheaper.
3.2
Help expand ideas:
The purpose of using social networking is not only to stay connected with close people but also to share ideas, opinions, or views through text messages, voice chat, and video conferencing. It helps in expanding ideas and making them more vibrant. Users can gather more information or ideas from other friends or chatmates, enabling them to gain a clearer view of their topic. Exchanging ideas with many people can assist them in reaching the main point or overcoming doubts.
3.3
Best medium of entertainment:
There is no doubt that social networking is the best medium for entertainment. People sign up on social networking sites primarily for enjoyment. They derive pleasure from sharing photos, videos, messages, and other content.
3.4
An alternative way of earning money:
Social media can be an alternative way of earning money. As an example, we can talk about blogging, vlogging, and content creation. Nowadays, people around the world are choosing these as professions. These have gained huge popularity among the younger generation because they allow them to earn money along with their studies. It can also be considered a way of spending leisure time productively. The younger generation can choose blogging for their career development. If anyone continues writing for a blog, they can observe improvement in their writing skills. Therefore, it can be said that blogging can help people develop their careers and, at the same time, earn money. It can be used as a portfolio.
3.5
Help promote business:
Social
networking sites play a very important role in promoting businesses, especially
for small and medium-sized entrepreneurs. They can promote their business on
social media without incurring any costs. It also helps them gain worldwide
recognition. By having a direct line of communication with their customers,
businesses can pay attention to improving their product quality. This trend is
not limited to small and medium-sized companies; even large companies have
their pages on various social networking sites with millions of fans. This has
given birth to terms like ‘F-Commerce.’
4.
Results:
The first question in the questionnaire asks whether social media is good for society. In response to this question, all participants provided a positive answer. They found no harmful aspects of social media, indicating that the majority believe social media is beneficial for society.
In the second question, the objective was to find out the most popular or most used social media platform among the young generation. Most of the students chose between option a (mobile phone) and option b (Facebook).
Facebook has topped the chart with 46.74%, while Mobile is in the second position with 46.15%. There is a very short gap between Mobile phone and Facebook. Twitter is not a very popular medium of communication among the young generation of Bangladesh. It has secured the third position with 5.26%. Students are not concerned about the use of a blog in their education. That is why this medium is not used as much compared to Facebook and mobile phones. It has been placed at the bottom of the chart with 2.63%.
In the third question, the specific aim was to find out which device people prefer most for using social media. The majority of respondents chose a desktop computer for using social media, with desktops covering the highest percentage at 43.33% in the chart. Laptops and mobile phones came in the second and third positions with 33.33% and 23.33%, respectively.
It indicates that most people in our country use desktop computers. Laptops are still expensive and beyond the affordability of lower-middle-class and lower-class people. A tablet PC is the latest technology in ultra-portable mobile computing devices. It is not widely available in our country, and its high cost makes it accessible to very few people. Another problem is that most top brands of tablet PCs require at least a 3G-enabled internet connection, which is still a dream in our country.
The fourth question was an open-ended question that asked people to share how much money they spend in a month using the internet. The reported amounts ranged between 400 and 2000 taka.
The above-mentioned pie chart shows that 56.67% of people use social media for less than five hours a week. Additionally, 16.67% of people use social media for 5 to 10 hours a week, while the same percentage of people also use social media for more than 20 hours a week. Following that, 6.67% of people take the third-highest part of the chart by using social media for 11–15 hours. The lowest percentage is 3.33%, indicating 16–20 hours in a week.
The sixth question was created or asked to understand the various purposes for using social media.
In this chart, I can see that 66.67% of youth use social media to stay connected with their friends. Then, I observe that 16.67% of people use this platform as a medium of entertainment, using it to pass the time. According to the chart, 10% of people use it for other purposes, while 6.67% of people use it as a profile for their business.
From this chart, it is clear that young people use social media to stay connected with their friends. It helps them maintain connections and communicate with others.
Using too much social media can also have some side effects on users. Those who excessively use social media may suffer from various physical problems that can hamper their everyday lives.
The chart describes that eyesight problems are the main issue for those who spend hours in front of the computer, reaching a peak at 46.67%. The physical problem that people suffer from the most after that is a lack of sleep, which accounts for 40%. It also shows that 13.33% of people face various other problems due to excessive use of social media. The interesting thing is that no one mentioned headaches and obesity as their physical problems.
It was mentioned earlier that different people use social media for various purposes. Besides chatting with friends and sharing photos and videos, it can also be used to spread news quickly.
According to this chart, everyone believes that social media helps spread news quickly. There is no one who expresses a different opinion.
It is no longer just an entertaining device. It can be used to increase job opportunities in society. Students can earn money while studying by working with different people online. The number of people working on the Internet is increasing day by day. It also contributes to our economy by earning foreign currency.
This chart shows that 76.67% of people believe that social media can help increase job opportunities in society, while 23.33% of people have expressed the opposite opinion.
In this chart, it can be seen that 86.67% of people do not think that social media has a negative impact on the young generation. However, 13.33% of people have the opposite view.
People have expressed their concern about the increasing incidence of cybercrime, which is growing day by day and often affecting young people. I did a survey to collect the opinions of young people on this matter. In the survey, 66.67% of people think that the young generation is involved in cybercrime, while 33.33% think the opposite. The chart is given below:
In this report, I also aimed to understand if users had faced any unpleasant situations while using social media. However, participants in this survey provided two types of opinions.
The majority of people, accounting for 63.33%, have answered yes, while the minority, accounting for 36.67%, have said no. A line chart based on the results has been provided below.
5.
Conclusion:
Social networking is the latest medium of communication and plays a very important role in our modern-day lives. It is no longer just an entertaining device but has become a part of our everyday lives. We cannot keep ourselves away from the influence of social networking. It is the boon of modern technology. However, it has both positive and negative impacts not only on users but also on society. The effective use of social media can make our lives easier, faster, and safer. On the other hand, its negative use can lead anyone to destroy his or her life.
6.
Recommendation:
Just like other scientific inventions, social media also has both pros and cons. It affects all age groups, but most of the time, the young generation becomes the main victim of its negative side. It has become a great cause for concern for the future generation. If it continues, our future generation may face moral challenges. While we cannot entirely avoid the side effects of social media, we can try to mitigate them.
6.1
Duties of Parents:
Parents can play a very important role in reducing the negative impact of using social media. They can monitor their children and their daily activities. In this way, the younger generation will be kept away from engaging in any unlawful activities on social networking.
6.2
Teaching moral lesson:
A young age is a very good time for teaching moral lessons. People with strong morals cannot be easily misguided. If parents provide moral lessons to their children, then their children will keep themselves away from harmful activities. Nothing can entice them into doing anything bad.
6.3
Encourage youth for reading novel, drama and story book:
One of the biggest problems observed among the young generation is their reduced interest in reading novels, dramas, or storybooks. Encouraging them to read more works by famous writers can help enhance their knowledge. It is worth mentioning that books are the best friends of human beings.
6.4
Steps taken by government:
No doubt, the government will have to take more responsibility to reduce the negative impact of social networking. To do so, they can pass laws. What is very important is that they should impose a ban on those sites that provide unethical, unlawful, and offensive content. The government should establish a branch within the security force for identifying and apprehending cyber criminals.
6.5
Organizing more competitions for youth people:
More competitions should be organized for young people so that they can keep themselves busy with various activities and stay away from negative influences. By participating in numerous competitions, they can develop themselves and become smarter.
7.
Reference:
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M. (2011) Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Youth. YOUTH KI AWAAZ. [Online].
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