Cross-Currents: An International Peer-Reviewed Journal on Humanities & Social Sciences

Abbreviated Key Title: Cross Current Int J Peer Reviewed J Human Soc Sci
ISSN: 2394-451X (Print) & Open Access
DOI: 10.36344/ccijhss.2020.v06i10.003

Volume-6 | Issue-10|October-2020 | Review Article

Social Media: Bane or Boon for Students

Muzamil Aziz Dar1*, Dr. R. Neelakandan2
1
M. Phil Scholar, Department of Psychology, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
2
Assistant professor, Department of psychology, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author: Muzamil Aziz Dar | Received: 13.10.2020 | Accepted: 26.10.2020 | Published: 30.10.2020 |

Abstract: The present era is known as the Networking era and social networking sites are one of the most widely used platforms offered by internet.
During this era, young people especially students have taken keen interest in communication on these social networking sites. During past decade, a
number of studies have been conducted on the effects of social media on the student’s academic performance. In this study, the concise review of past
studies focuses on the findings to know the exact effect of social media on students. From the results of different studies, it is concluded that effect of
social media on students academic performance remains a controversial issue and hence, social media is described as a double edged sword (i.e. It has
positive as well as negative effects), about which users especially students must be trained to be aware of its dangers and should be prudent in its
utilization.
Keywords: Social Networking Sites: A forms of online platforms that allow users to create a public profile and interact with other users on the
website. Academic Performance: It represents the performance outcomes that indicate the extent to which a person has accomplished specific goals
that were the focus of instructional environments, especially in schools, colleges and universities. Mental Health: It refers to the social, cognitive and
emotional well-being of an individual.

INTRODUCTION social media can be used to connect with other people,

The advent of internet in 1990s has created a whether for business or commercial purposes, make
platform for millions of computers at numerous sites in new friends, reawaken old friends and long lost
all countries, belonging to thousands of institutions and relatives. In addition to this, some people have found
other organizations to link up with one another. Now social media as a means of entertainment and for others;
the world is enjoying the innovations in different it is the cheapest means to display their skills to the
technologies but the most influenced one is world. In simple words, social media has changed the
communication field which has led to the introduction ways of thinking, behaving and living of new
of Social Networking Sites (SNSs). These Social generation up to the extent where it has become our
Networking Sites allows the users to create a user significant other without whom our life will be like a
profile and setup an account to create a digital identity fish without water.
of the user. It also allows the users to select other
members of the site as friends (on face-book) or Zephoria Inc [2], on Facebook, 1.79 billion
followers (on instagram and twitter) and most of all it users are on a monthly basis worldwide, 4.5 billion
allows it allows the users to communicate with one Likes are generated daily and 1.8 billion Loggins are
another. The evolution of these Social Networking Sites experienced daily, thus creating a web inside a web.
(SNSs) has led its usage as best medium of Now could you imagine the number of all students
communication whereby two third (2/3) of the total logging into these social media applications every day?
internet population visits these Social Networking Sites The answer will be definitely in millions and millions
which are commonly termed as SOCIAL MEDIA [1]. of students. Millions of students Login to their social
The innovation of social media has turned the dream of media accounts like , Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
´´global village`` into a reality wherein billions and WhatsApp, Tiktok, PubG etc as a part of their everyday
billions of people communicate with one another routine.
through these social networking sites (SNSs).
As we know, none of the inventions in this
Now this social media has become more than world is completely one sided, i.e. There are always two
just a means of communication as it gives us ease in sides of a same coin. Thus it is not surprising as it is the
various aspects of life such as shopping, travelling, same case with social media, as it comes with positive
seeking new information, education and electronic as well as negative effects.
messaging. Present generation (21st) discovered that
Quick Response Code
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Positive Effects of Social Media: Now a day’s media as the cause of emotional disturbance, some
social media can be used for a wide range of viable blamed as the cause of eating disorder and some have
activities by students like for information seeking, labeled it as the root cause of behavioral change. The
attending online conferences and workshops, enhancing students using social media Apps especially Facebook,
bond between students and teachers, understanding instagram, whatsApp, Tiktok and PubG, spend
abstract concepts by 3D animations and many more. increasing amount of their quality time which in turn
Students academic life has transformed into a different negatively effects the students’ academic performance
style by the introduction of social media and large and social behavior [12]. Also Ayvonne Kelly et al.,
number of studies have affirmed that social media plays [13] carried out a study on ´´Social Media Use and
an important role on students in higher education. One Adolescents Mental Health `` to examine whether social
such study was conducted by Wheeler and Yeomans media is associated with mental health. Findings of
[3], in the study, the results revealed four (4) major their study clearly revealed that there is a significant but
advantages of social media usage by students in higher negative relationship between social media use and
education which include; enhancing relationships, mental health of students. This negative influence of
improving learning motivation, offer personalized social media on mental health directly affects their
course material and developing collaborative abilities’ (students) academic achievements. Furthermore, Owusu
is also observed that a greater percentage of students M Achaew and Agath Gifty Larson [14], examined that
including PhD scholars commonly use social media to social media usage had negatively affected the
ameliorate their studies [4]. The size of friendship on academic performance of the students. It has been also
social media has a significant impact on students’ observed that use of social media contributes to lower
performance and factors like daily usage of social academic performance, lower self-perception and less
media in hours has no significant effect on the students’ interest in college oriented careers [15]. Davies and
academic performance [5]. Also from the study of Cranston [16], also highlighted some of the risks
Muhammad Osama Shafiq and Falak Nazi [6], the associated with social media which include criminal
results revealed an interesting fact that frequent use of activities, such as identity theft and fake relations which
Facebook and WhatsApp does not affect studies of are prevalent now a days, sexual harassment and
students rather it enhances collaborative learning among unsuitable advertising. On the same direction O`Keefle
university students. Moreover, Zahid Amin et al., [7], and Clake Pearson [17], also mentioned cyber bullying ,
conducted a study on ´´ Impact of Social Media on online harassment, Facebook depression and privacy
Students Academic Performance`` wherein results concerns as some of the challenges associated with
revealed that there is significant effect of social media social network sites. Besides of these effects, other
on academic performance of students as it was evident studies conducted by a number of scholars proved that
from the results that there is a moderate positive social media can be detrimental to students’ academic
correlation between students and Facebook. Also the life if caution is not taken on time. For instance, the
study carried out by Jain et al., [8], titled ´´ The Impact study conducted by Obi et al., [18], titled ´´ The Need
of Social Networking in Promoting Education`` for Safety Consciousness among Youths on Social
revealed that social media has positive effect on Networking Sites`` revealed that social media affects
students by chatting with other students, teachers and students use of English. Most of the user s(Students)
external sources to acquire knowledge. It is further use short-handwriting when chatting with friends and
buttressed from the study of Yunus and Salehi [9] that unconsciously get used to it, thereby replicating same
students gained more vocabulary, improved their mistakes during examinations. This may seem that these
writing skills and reduced their spelling mistakes errors are minor challenges, but it is the matter of
through the use of social media. Finally the studies concern that the increasing rate at which these errors are
conducted by Arquero and Esteban [10] and Selwyn replicated in education sector and if care is not taken
[11], whose conclusions were that social media now, our future generation may see it as a norm. Indeed
undoubtedly generate new opportunities to engage a number of studies including the study of
students in higher education as they are remarkably Kuppuswamy and Narayan [19], among others have
effective at connecting people and facilitating the revealed unequivocally that social media is a nuisance
exchange of information. to students academic life. In their study they argued that
social media distracts the attention and concentration of
Negative Effects of Social Media students toward learning and converts it towards non
The number of students using social media is educational activities such as useless and unnecessary
surprisingly in millions and most of the students having chatting.
been blamed various social media applications for their
steady decrease in grades. Most of the users (students) CONCLUSION
of these social media apps complaint different health The conclusion of this study remains
related problems because of the overuse over use of controversial as it is clear from the review of past studie
these social media sites. Some students blamed social

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 Muzamil Aziz Dar & R. Neelakandan; Cross Current Int J Peer Reviewed J Human Soc Sci, Oct, 2020; 6(10): 129-132

that the innovation of Social Media has negative as well media sites that may be prone to distracting
as positive effects on students academic performance, their attention during lectures.
sch as steady decrease in grades, distraction of attention 7. Students should be trained to use social media
in academic work, lack of privacy, bullying judiciously to ensure that they will not become
victimization, sexual harassment, wastage of their detrimental to their academics.
quality time and many more. But it (social media) also 8. All academic institutions should create their
have unlimited benefits like online lectures, enhancing own pages or groups on different social media
relations, reducing gap between teacher and student, sites to enhance academic performance.
keeping updated with all school activities, watching 9. The students should be trained to keep a
important lectures repeatedly, seeking new information, balance between chit-chatting and academic
understanding abstract concepts, attending online activities.
conferences & workshops and much more. So 10. School teachers and college lecturers and
undoubtedly, one can say that social media is and will professors should ensure to adopt new
remain an important tool in the field of education. It strategies and using social media as a tool to
supports different forms of education like E-Learning improve the academic performance by
and Distance education which have been widely channeling assignments and discussions on
patronized and facilitated to great extent through these social media.
social networking sites. Now acquiring information
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