A couple of weeks ago, I went to Google forms and sent out a survey to people connected to my social media. These people were plus two students, bachelor level students, master’s degree level and some were jobholders. The age of the people that took part in this survey is 16 to 28. I wanted the data to originate explicitly from the youths. At the end of two weeks, which was the duration, a whopping 57 people answered the survey.
I asked six questions about the usage of social media. Two
questions asked participants to type a precise answer on why do they use social
media and which medium do they use to interact with the digital world. The
remaining four questions were Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). I will list out
the MCQs later in the article. Let’s break down the answers to the first couple
of questions.
The first question that I asked was, “Why do you use social
media?” And each answer was beyond my expectation. A total number of 12 people
admitted they use it for just entertainment. Without a doubt, the fast and
attractive flowing of content in social media boosts dopamine and provides an
emotion of entertainment. On the contrary, 19 people admitted they use it to
stay updated on their environment; the news, and information. I think we are
past the phase where people used to open Television for the news. Now the news
is available at the touch of our fingers.
The other reason in which 15 participants agreed was to connect with
people. They mentioned staying in digital proximity with their family, friends,
colleagues, and other people they consider vital in their lives. Such reason is
indisputable as social media was created in the first place to address this
opportunity. Apart from these main reasons, 6 people admitted they use it for
work/study. And 2 people said they use it only to pass the time.
Now, onto the second question. The question was, “Which
social media do you use the most and why?” The answers didn’t surprise me in
this one, as the majority came in the favor of Facebook and Instagram, the two
most popular media among young people. 20 people said they use Facebook, mostly
because of the content, videos, and to stay in touch with people they know.
Facebook has varied options and totally depends on the smartness of user’s
usage. Some people use it to destroy their lives by watching needless content,
while some look for opportunities and information to grow themselves.
Similarly, 14 people admitted to using Instagram more than anything else. The
reasons are largely in the favor of the particular contents in the app.
According to participants, the contents in Instagram are: diverse,
entertaining, and informative. And the third favorite media was YouTube, which
9 people voted as the app they love. The answers were a summary of how one
finds things of their interest, hobbies, and also tons of information. (And
also for listening to songs). The other less voted media were Tiktok (4 users),
Whatsapp (5 users), and one each for Linkedin, Snapchat, Twitter, Clubhouse, and
Viber.
The remaining four questionnaires were MCQ. The first
question asked was “Do you think social media hampers our wellbeing?” The chart
below was the result of the question.
The amount of people that chose the side of indifference is large. 63.2% of people have opted for maybe. 21.1% agree that social media hampers our well-being. Whereas, 15.8% of people believe social media doesn’t invite adversities.
The next question was “Have you ever tried leaving social media but couldn’t?” And
people responded in the following approach:
28 people admitted that they have thought about leaving social media i.e. 49.1%. And 29 people i.e. 50.9% have never thought of leaving sight of social media.
The third question was “What do
you think we get from the daily usage of social media?” This was the response:
56.1% think that we get benefits from social media. These benefits might include; information, communication, and attractive content. Whereas indifferent people are in the numbers of 26.3%. Also, 17.5% of people agree that social media brings adversities.
This was a one-sided game. A small margin of 7% of people said that with the emergence of digital media they have lost touch with the real world. On the contrary, 93% have agreed mutually that social media has connected them with the world.
With this evidence, we can sturdily agree that the concept of social
media is itself not bad. But it all comes down to the way one chooses to use
it. People who use it for news/information have largely benefitted from it.
Some choose to interact with people and enjoy the peculiarity of the contents present
there. The mindless scrolling, the spread of hoaxes, online abuse, and
interacting with avoidable scenarios can hamper the user. Using it mainly for
unspeakable reasons can degrade the reputation of the media. Individuals have
to be sensitive regarding other people’s sentiments who are connected in this
digital platform. If one uses it to absorb the state of the world, to connect
with loved ones, to enhance their knowledge, and for study/job purposes then
that would be a step to make this digital platform a better place.
Through this survey, we have come to know that social media can be a
great platform for networking. It can be used largely to obtain knowledge and
to be informed about the environment. Evidently, one can showcase their skills
on the platform. Social media is a great platform if willing to use it right.
But can be great adversity if misused. So, which side are you on? Monitor and
keep track of your social media habits, and decide for yourself.
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