TITLE/TOPIC: Social Networking PROBLEM STATEMENT: The impacts of social networking sites on the social life, of students of St Stephens

College, between the ages of 11- 18yrs? INTRODUCTION:

Only recently in Trinidad and Tobago have social networking become a prominent issue. Great deals of speculation have been made about the impacts of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter on users lives particularly on youths. Some fear that SNS would diminish proper communication skills, human relationships and contacts, as well as cause social seclusion. However others believe that with the advent of social networking sites especially the modern day marvel Facebook, this facility could be described as a social utility that helps people communicate faster and more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers all over the world. As could be expected, researchers have begun to put to empirical test these claims, reaching a more balanced understanding of SNS. The research which this study would pursue investigates both the positive and negative impacts of social networking on youth, with emphasis on security, communication skills, and formal education. The research would also assess the awareness of parents about their childs involvement on social networking sites. The age group to be studied is between 11 to 18 years, while the physical space of the research focus is St. Stephens College, Craignish Village, Princes Town, Trinidad.

The purpose of this study is to discover the extent of the influence of social networking sites on the social lives of youths and to assess the involvement of parents in their childs use of social networking sites. This will serve to facilitate the evaluation of beliefs made by individuals about the pros and cons of social networking. The value of the research would be to help parents and guardians to be more aware of the impacts of social networking on the lives of their children and as such monitor their childrens use of these sites more stringently. It can also help youths to be more mindful of how these sites should be used to their benefit without placing themselves and their future at risk.

Research questions: 1. What are the positive impacts of social networking on youths lives? 2. What are the negative impacts of social networking on youths lives? 3. How aware are parents are of their childs use of social networking sites?

Definitions: Social network sites: web-based services that allow individuals to (1) construct a public or semipublic profile within a bounded system, (2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and (3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.

Facebook: A social networking website on which users can connect with friends and develop new ones and can send messages or update their personal profiles to notify others about whats going on in their lives. Twitter: This is a social networking and microblogging site that calls itself a real time information network powered by people all around the world that lets you share and discover whats happening now. Messages are called tweets.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Social networking sites are virtual communities (Lenhart and Madden, 2007). Just like chat services, SNS incorporate a list of other users with whom individuals can share a connection. But unlike any other web service, SNS allow individuals to make visible their list of connections to others and to traverse their social networks (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). Hence, more than other virtual communities born online, SNS are usually online communities created and maintained to reflect offline relationships. In 2004, PEW found that 87% of teenagers aged 12-17 have some level of Internet access. In a study conducted in late 2006, they found that 55% of online teens aged 12-17 have created profiles on social network sites with 64% of teens 15-17.

Social networks are also being used by teachers and students as a communication tool. Because many students are already using a wide-range of social networking sites, teachers have begun to familiarize themselves with this trend and are now using it to their advantage. Teachers and professors are doing everything from creating chat-room forums and groups to extend classroom discussion to posting assignments, tests and quizzes, to assisting with homework outside of the classroom setting. Social networks are also being used to foster teacher-parent communication. These sites make it possible and more convenient for parents to ask questions and voice concerns without having to meet face-to-face.

"Benniger (1987) describes how mass media has gradually replaced interpersonal communication as a socializing force. Further, social networking sites have become popular sites for youth culture to explore themselves, relationships, and share cultural artifacts". Many teens and social networking users may be harming their interpersonal communication by using sites such as

Facebook and MySpace. Stated by Baroness Greenfield, an Oxford University Neuroscientist, "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, who have a small attention span and who live for the moment." The convenience that social network sites give users to communicate with one another can also damage their interpersonal communication. Sherry Turkle, the founder and director of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self, stated, Networked, we are together, but so lessened are our expectations of each other that we feel utterly alone. And there is the risk that we come to see others as objects to be accessed--and only for the parts we find useful, comforting, or amusing. Furthermore, social network sites can create insincere friendships, Turkle also noted, They nurture friendships on social-networking sites and then wonder if they are among friends. They become confused about companionship. Parents are unaware of the dangers their children face by posting details about themselves on social networking sites, according to research commissioned by Ofcom. The survey of 5,000 adults and 3,000 children found that nearly half of children aged between eight and 17 have a profile on one or more of the popular social networking sites. Despite twothirds of parents saying they set rules for their children regarding the use of social networking sites, one in five parents said they were unaware that their child may have made their profile public. (http://www.computeractive.co.uk/ca/news/1911962/children-putting-danger-socialnetworking-sites#ixzz1f25sgAHt)

Privacy concerns with social networking services have been raised growing concerns amongst users on the dangers of giving out too much personal information and the threat of sexual

predators. According to a study conducted by the information Commissioners Office (ICO) (2006), more than half of those social network users polled revealed that the majority of their information was available for public consumption on a social networking page. Citizens and governments have been concerned by a misuse by child and teenagers of social networking services, in particular in relation to online sexual predators. A 2008 panel concluded that technological fixes such as age verification and scans are relatively ineffective means of apprehending online predators.

A common misuse of social networking sites such as Facebook is that it is occasionally used to emotionally abuse individuals. Online bullying, also called cyber-bullying, is a relatively common occurrence and it can often result in emotional trauma for the victim. Depending on the networking outlet, up to 39% of users admit to being cyber-bullied. Danah Boyd, a researcher of social networks quotes a teenager in her article, Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites. The teenager expresses frustration towards networking sites like MySpace because it causes drama and too much emotional stress. There are not many limitations as to what individuals can post when online. Individuals are given the power to post offensive remarks or pictures that could potentially cause a great amount of emotional pain for another individual.

Social networking can also affect the extent to which a person feels lonely. In a Newsweek article, Johannah Cornblatt explains Social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace may provide people with a false sense of connection that ultimately increases loneliness in people who feel alone. John T. Cacioppo, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, claims that social networking can foster feelings of sensitivity to disconnection, which can lead to loneliness.

However some scholars have expressed that concerns about social networking are often exaggerated and poorly researched.

RESEARCH DESIGN
In this research paper I will be using quantitative data. Quantitative data usually takes the form of statistical or numerical information. My main reason for choosing to employ the use of this type of data is the fact that quantitative research facilitates theory formation because as a large amount of data is collected the data can display cause and correlation and therein makes the formation of theory is possible. The use of this type of data is also advantageous in that it provides objectivity; therefore respondents will not in any way be influenced by my personal views. The instrument used to collect data was questionnaires. A questionnaire is a number of preset questions that can contain open-ended, fixed choice or a combination of both types of questions. 54 students (27 girls and 27 boys- 6 from each age group ranging from 11-19 years old) were chosen by stratified random sample from St Stephens College from forms 1 to 6. They were approached individually and asked whether they would like to participate in the study. All agreed. A 17 item questionnaire was administered to all students on the 29th of February during the lunch break and was collected after school. 15 items were of forcedchoice type and two were open-ended. The advantages of the questionnaire are that the data can be easily tabulated, measured and analyzed, and they are easy to administer. However some disadvantages are that fixed choice questions can possibly force a respondent to choose an answer that does not capture his/her feelings about an issue and that some respondents may provide erroneous information or treat the issue too lightly. However these problems were overcome by

incorporating open ended questions in my questions and secondly in order to prevent respondents from treating the issue lightly I made an effort to impress upon the respondents the importance of the research and the necessity for them to answer all questions honestly and seriously.

DATA ANALYSIS (a) Presentation of Data Figure.1

PIE GRAPH SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS ON A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE (SNS)

7%

Students on a SNS 93% Students not on a SNS

Figure 2. Table showing the percentage of youths on SNS with respect to the age groups
PERCENTAGE AGE GROUPS On A Social Networking Site Not On A Social Networking Site 0 5.6 16.7

11-13 14-16 17-19

100 94.4 83.3

FIGURE 3

GRAPH SHOWING THE AWARENESS OF PARENTS ABOUT THE THEIR CHILD'S SNS USAGE
76%

80.00%

70.00%

67%

60.00%

55.60%

50.00%

44.40%

40.00%

33%

30.00%

24%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00% 11 to 13 14 to 16
Aware Unaware

17 to 19

Figure 4 AREA GRAPH SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS WHO GIVE THIER CHILDEN ADVICE ON WHAT TO POST ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

90.00%

no advice advice 10.00%

Figure 5
BAR GRAPH SHOWING HOW STUDENTS PROFILE ARE SET UP ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

17 to 19

72.00%

47.00%

13.00%

Private 14 to 16 17.00% 24.00% 33.00% Partially private Public

11 to 13 11.00% 29.00%

47.00%

0.00%

20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 120.00% 140.00%

Figure 6

GRAPH SHOWING THE HOW AWARE STUDENTS ARE ABOUT THE DANGERS RELATED TO THE EXPOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ON SNS
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 11 to 13 13 t0 16 16 to 19 AGE GROUP unaware aware

PERCENTAGE

Figure 7

LINE GRAPH SHOWING THE AMOUNT OF TIME STUDENTS SPEND DAILY ON SNS
45%

40%

40%

39%

35%

30% 29% 28% 29% 27%

25% 24% 22% 20% 18% 15% 13% 10% 11% 20% 11 to 13 14 to 16 17 to 19

5%

0%

0%

Figure 8

COLUMN GRAPH SHOWING HOW YOUTHS RELATE TO EACH OTHER ON SNS

60%

40%

KIND

UNKIND

Figure 9

BUBBLE GRAPH SHOWING HOW OFTEN STUDENTS WITNESS ONLINE INTIMIDATION

70%

60%

60%

50%

40%

Frequently Sometimes

30%

only once in a while never

20%

20%

10%

10%

10%

0% 0 1 2 3 4 5

Figure 10 TABLE SHOWING THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS INTIMIDATED/ ABUSE ON SNS IMITATED OR ABUSED AGE GROUPS

YES 83% 77% 53%

NO 17% 23% 47%

11-13 14-16 17-18

Figure 11

GRAPH SHOWING THE STUDENTS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ON SNS

G F E D C B A 0.00% 24.00% 15.00% 6.00% 20.00% 12.00% 8.00% 20.00% 80.00% 88.00% 92.00% 40.00% 60.00% 42.00% 58.00% 76.00% 85.00% 92.00% NO YES

80.00%

100.00%

From graph: A= Resulted in face to face argument or confrontation B= Caused a problem with your parents C= Resulted in a physical fight with someone else D= Ended your friendship with someone E=Made you feel nervous about going to school F=Made you feel closer to another person G=Made you feel good about yourself

(b) Interpretation of Findings

For the research, the 54 questionnaires which were distributed were all returned. Out of these questionnaires only 4 indicated not to be on any social networking site. Therefore majority of students are on a social networking site inculcating 93% of the 54 students Figure 2 shows the youths between the ages of 11-13 are the most active users of social networking sites totaling 100%, than youths between the ages of 14-16 and 17-19. The age group 17-19 is the least involved in social networking with only 83.3% participation. Thus this indicates a trend that the students involvement decreased as their age increased. From the information gathered, most parents, 80%, are aware of their childs involvement on SNS. However, figure, indicates that the highest unawareness of parents about childs involvement is in the age group of 11-13, 55.6% unaware. Most parents, 76%, neither check their childs account nor give him/her advice, 90%, on what he/she should post on their account as indicated in figure 4. Figure 5 indicates that students between the ages of 11 to 16, opt to have their profiles on social networking sites public whereas the majority of students between ages 17 to 19, have their profiles private. The majority the students are unaware of the dangers related to the exposure of personal information, with the most unaware group being age 11-13, 79%, and the most aware group being ages 17 - 19 ,87%, as indicated in figure 6. The majority of those between in the age group 14- 16 were unaware of the dangers but overall had higher awareness than those between in the age group of 11 13. This therefore indicated that most of those who have their profiles public are ignorant of the dangers related to exposure of their personal

information on these sites. From the responses received from the questionnaire it was also noted that most students, 70%, are unconcerned about the effect of what the place on social networking site would impact on their social life social life. On average most students spend more than 3 hours on social networking sites daily, the majority of them being between the ages of 11 to 13. Most students between the ages of 17 to 19 spend on average less than 30 minutes daily as shown in figure 7. From the results obtained figure 8 shows that youths are mostly kind to each other on SNS, 70%, with the minority being unkind 30%. This therefore indicates that youths have relatively good relations with each other on these sites. Most students do not witness online intimidation however they themselves are abused as shown in figure 9 and 10. Students in the age group of 11-13 experience the most abuse on SNS, 83% of them. The majority of teens have positive online experiences, but some are caught in an online feedback loop of meanness and negative experiences as seen in figure 11. The majority of students felt that social networking sites benefited them by improving their self-esteem, helped them to be more connected with friends, make new friends, develop closer friendships, assisted in school work through study groups which they joined and also helped them to be kept updated about current trends and issues. Students stated that the best ways youths can guard against negative repercussions on SNS are by making their profiles private, to not accept people who they do not know, to not post

revealing pictures of themselves, to not use explicit language on their account and to reduce the amount of time they spend on SNS.

 Discussion of findings The research which I have conducted demonstrates the effect of social networking on youths of St Stephens college between the ages of 11 19 social life. Indebt research was done to analyze the positive and negative impacts of social networking on their lives and the awareness of parents about their childs involvement on social networking sites. The results obtained from the research, showed some similarities and differences to previous research carried out on this topic. The results showed that 93% of students use SNS. This is an increase from the expected usage according to research done by PMW. This shows that the rate of usage of these SNS is growing more rapidly than expected. This was could be due to a host of reasons. These sites constantly grow and evolve to meet the users needs so they become increasingly important to the needs of students. Also students between the ages of 11 13 were found are the largest age group present on social networking sites unlike previous research which showed that this youngest group was least keen to join SNS. This could be due to the increased prevalence of computers in homes and in school therefore students have easier access to SNS.