Social Media with Smartphones in Pakistan: A Study of Impacts on Youngsters in South Punjab

1. Associate Professor/Chairman, Center for Media and Communication Studies, University of Gujra, Punjab, Pakistan 2. Lecturer, Center for Media and Communication Studies, University of Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Media and Communication Studies, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan PAPER INFO ABSTRACT Received: July 11, 2020 Accepted: September 05, 2020 Online: September 30, 2020 This study investigates the impact of social media with Smartphones on youngsters through survey by using questionnaire as a tool of data collection. The audience was 200 male and female (married/unmarried) youngsters, age 18 to 30 years old and simple random sampling technique used to select sample unit. 100% respondents filled the questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tool to test the hypothesis. The finding indicates that use of social media apps in Smartphone have both positive and negative impact on youngsters. Face book is the most favorite social media app of youngsters and majority of youngsters use social apps in Smartphone for entertainment purpose. Large scale of respondent said that social apps in Smartphone playing a key role to get awareness about latest fashion and for seeking job opportunity. This study also found that youngsters facing major problem in the use of social media apps in Smartphone is social isolation and losing companionship


Introduction
New technology like dual sides of the similar coin takes using it both flanks the negative and positive. It's up to us which side we choose or select. In communication world it rotates the entire world into a "Global village" (Marshall McLuhan). Traditional media especially print media facing different challenges because the invention of new media such as internet (Domingo & Heinoren, 2008).In US, newspaper industries facing financial problems and this thing create inordinate depression. Smartphone captured additional attention of students for the purpose of operating social media application throughout the week, without any break (Barthelemy et al., 2011).The quantity of Smartphone users has been increased from 27% in 2009 to 69% in 2012.Student uses it to take entrée of social networking sites (Hingorani & Woodard, 2012).
Youth use social networking sites, have both negative and positive impacts on them .The main negative result of lavish social media usage is making new relation with strangers. This thing create allot of serious problems in future (Subrahmangam et al., 2008& Muzaffar, et. al 2019. The usage of social networking sites make difficulties such as cybercrimes, cheats and youngster marauders etc. Uploading private information such as; different traditions, time of life, and sex etc., cheer in social media (Paula, 2009).Mobile phone is very helpful for quickly getting information about fashion. In 2011 Smartphone sold in large quantity as compared to both computers and laptops (Cooper, 2012).The usage of Social Networking Sites for employment is an innovative arena in Human Resource Management. In Social Networking Sites the profile of candidates let recruiters to increase info about candidate's literacy and skills. Via using Social Networking Sites, recruiters can hunt for workable applicants and increase everlasting relations by them. Social Networking Sites help to build relationship among businesses and probable candidates. Facebook proposals many feature to recruiters for discovery the perfect individuals for posts (Schauble et al., 2008).
Social networking sites are helpful in communication among recruiters and job seekers. The employers who use social applications to get a job chance has been raised Between 2011 and 2013 from 29% to 24% .Different social networking apps like Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn are used for recruitment purpose. Additional roots are such as; Internet job board and online resume database etc (Archana et al., 2015).Claude Fischer (2009) writes: "The most visible development of the last forty years has been technological innovation. Modern cars and planes, email, cell phones, text messaging, video links, and social networking sites have vastly expanded, sped up, and lowered the cost of social interaction". Klinenberg (2012); Conley (2012) argue that in the field of social sciences newly discovered "Isolation" topic. Different other author's general books on isolation directly related loneliness are available easily (e.g. Slade 2012, Joiner 2011 and White 2010).Around 20% of people in the US unaccompanied perceive adequately isolated because it's the main foundation of sadness in the lives of people and mentally disturbed them (Cacioppo& Patrick, 2008). In another study found that around 72% male respondents were greatly isolated and 68% female respondents as well, so both male and female agree with this statement that social media influence on them create the problem of isolating them from family. SNS create the problem in interaction of the youth with family members. It's the negative point of SNS (Saleem et al.).

Hypothesis
H : Entertainment as a primary reason of youngsters using social apps.
H : Youngsters use social apps in smartphone for theawareness of fashion.
H : Social apps in smartphone provide an opportunity of job to youngsters through advertisement.
H : Intensive use of social apps in Smartphone is directly related with social isolation.

Literature review
One of the most important steps of research is literature review. If we have a look few years' back electronic media and internet were reflected innovative media but nowadays new social media: Facebook, WhatsApp & twitter etc. are considered and capture the attention of huge number of peoples (Ali, 2012). Itte (2009) work shows that about 55% of workers operate social networking sites at the minimum time in a week. Wang et al. (2011) argued that 20% of social media users use Smartphone for operating social networking applications. Find out those 68 % operators used laptop for checking or stay online on social networking sites and just 12% user's use PC or computer for using these applications. Emarketer (2012) found that 19% users of Smartphone use social networking apps and Facebook is the most favorite app.21% of college students use Smartphone for communication .Further find out that largely the users of Smartphone use it for communication and social network. Tinto (1997) Find out that the best source for information regarding political, Entertainment and current affairs etc. are social network through this network students can be award about the current situation of country politics. Sheldon (2008) stated that through social apps we can spend spare time .Mostly people get tired of their tough routine; they use Facebook and other social sites for relaxation and reduce mental stress. College students use social networking apps to communicate with other and utilize free time when they get bore. Hussain et al. (2015) writes that post graduate students mostly use social networking apps for Entertainment purpose. Most of the students use social networking apps for getting knowledge. About 97% of students use Smartphone for operating social networking sites. Smartphone is very helpful because it's easy to carry and moveable .By using Smartphone user can stay in touch with their friends and family member through operating social application. Student use social networking sites for uploading profile, updating status, tag their friends and showing them what they exactly are doing etc. (Peterson, 2011). Yousaf (2012) writes that youngsters use internet for entertainment, getting information and for learning purpose. A large number of students operate internet just for entertainment. Social networking site grabs the great attention of employers and helpful in getting info about candidates (Kluemper & Rosen, 2009).Mostly companies are satisfied to find the solution of right employees through social networking sites (Deutschland, 2010).New technology like internet has modified the communication and working style of companies. Nowadays companies are finding new, talented and intelligent people (Giles, 2010).Today recruitment has grabbed the great attention and extremely deliberated subject (Breaugh, 2008). Archana et al. (2015) argue that social networking sites are helpful in bulletin among recruiters and job seekers. Employees who use social applications to get a job their chance of getting it rise Between 2011 and 2013 from 29% to 24% .Different social networking apps like Facebook, google+, Twitter and LinkedIn are used for recruitment purpose. Additional roots are such as; Internet job board and online resume database etc.Klingenberg (2012); Conley (2012) argue that in the field of social sciences newly discovered "Isolation" topic. Different other author's general books on isolation directly related loneliness are available easily (e.g. Slade 2012, Joiner 2011 and White 2010).According to the Tiggers et al. (1998), different experiential researches are verified among poorness and dissimilar features of social isolation. On various features of social isolation such as alive in a deprived vicinity and ingress of social services & sanitation.

Uses and Gratification Theory
Youngsters use social apps in Smartphone to fulfill their desires. They can select the technology independently to use and gratify their needs. The significance of the theory to the study was undoubtedly specified. This theory is applied for the reason that operators are gratifying their needs by using social apps in Smartphone and psychologically involved in it and this study is based on all categories discussed in this theory such as cognitive desires, affective desires, Individual integrative desires and Social integrative desires.

Material and Methods
The researcher has used survey method and questionnaire way used to collect the data. Quantitative technique used for this study. Descriptive statistics for hypothesis testing has been used .The purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of social apps in Smartphone on youngster. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of social apps in Smartphone of youngsters. The population of this study included citizens of South Punjab (Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan).In this study researcher has selected simple random sampling technique. The sample size was 200 married and unmarried (male and female) citizens living in South Punjab. The researchers selected the age range of 18 to 30 both married (male and female) and unmarried (male and female) of South Punjab from Multan, Bahawalpur and DG Khan. In this study the demographic characteristics of the respondents are summarized in table 1. This table shows that a total of 200 youngsters participated in the survey. Of these students, 100 were male and 100 were female in which 145 were single and 55 were married. It means 50% respondents were male and 50% respondents were female. 72.5%were single and 27.5% were married who took participate in this study.

Result and Findings
H : Entertainment as a primary reason of youngsters using social apps. Table: 2 shows that 42.5% respondents said the primary reason of using social apps is entertainment, 28% respondents said primary reason of using social apps is connectivity, 26% respondents said primary reason of using social apps in Smartphone is information and only 3.5% respondents said they use social apps in Smartphone for any other reason. This table shows that large majority 44% respondents said social apps in Smartphone are always helpful for the awareness of fashion, 30.5% respondents said that social apps in Smartphone usually helpful for the awareness of fashion, 14% said social apps are occasionally helpful for the awareness of fashion and 11.5% respondents said social apps in Smartphone are rarely helpful for the awareness of fashion. So majority 44% respondents said that always social apps in Smartphone creating awareness about new trend, 36% respondents said that usually social apps in Smartphone are creating awareness about new trend, 12% respondents said occasionally social apps are creating awareness about new trend and only 8% respondents said rarely social apps in Smartphone are creating awareness about new trend.

: Youngsters use social apps in smartphone for the awareness of fashion
: Social apps in smartphone provide an opportunity of job to youngsters through advertisement.  Table No: 12 shows that 39% respondents said that social apps in smart phone always facilitated the youngsters to search new job, 28% respondents said that occasionally social apps in Smartphone facilitate the youngsters to search job opportunity, 13% respondents said occasionally social apps in Smartphone facilitate the youngsters to search new job opportunity, 13.5% said rarely social apps facilitate the youngsters to search new job opportunity and only 6% respondents said social apps in Smartphone never facilitate the youngsters to search new job opportunity.
: Intensive use of social apps in Smartphone is directly related with social isolation. This table shows that 19% respondents always fee social isolation by using social apps in Smartphone, 31% usually feel social isolation,31.5% occasionally feel social isolation,16% respondents rarely feel social isolation and only 2.5% respondents never feel social isolation by using social apps in Smartphone.22% of respondents feel that they are losing companionship by using social apps in Smartphone, 25% respondents said usually they feel that loosing companionship, 24% respondents said they occasionally feel that by using social apps in Smartphone they are losing companionship, 28% said rarely they feel loosing companionship and only .5% said they never feel that loosing companionship by using social apps in Smartphone.22.5% respondents said always offline relationships like family and friends are affected by using social apps, 23.5% said usually offline relationships offline relationships like family and friends are affected by using social apps, 17.5% respondents said occasionally offline relationships affected, 16% respondents said rarely offline relationships are affected and 20.5% respondents said never offline relationships with family and friends affected by using social apps in Smartphone.

Entertainment as a primary reason of youngsters using social apps in Smartphone
Majority of respondents (42.5%) use social apps in Smartphone for entertainment purpose. (28.5%) use for connectivity, (26%) respondents use for information and only (7%) use social apps in Smartphone for any other purposes. It means that large number of youngsters operate social apps in Smartphone just for entertainment. (40.5%) respondents said they use social apps to get entertainment factor to drive social satisfaction.(26.5%) respondents said social apps are always helpful in releasing tensions,(26%) response that usually its helpful in releasing tensions, (16%) said occasionally social apps in Smartphone helpful in releasing tensions and only (7.5) respondents said its never be helpful in releasing tensions.

Hypothesis 1: Entertainment as a primary reason of using social apps in Smartphone
Result: This study associated with uses and gratification theory because when a user uses media his primary importance is to get additional gratification and satisfaction. Hussain et al. (2015) result shows that usually post graduate students are using social networking application for entertainment purposes. Morris &wells, narrated in his book "Technology computational thinking and coding in primary school" Use of mobile devices and increasing numbers of these devices in youth now a days. Approximately up to 40% of youngsters are those who have their personal Smartphone or a tablet. Access of devices gives a lot of opportunity to children in using social apps for entertainment. So we can say that youngsters mostly operate social apps in Smartphone to gratify their first need which is entertainment by watching movies, enjoy with lovely music etc. and get mental relaxation.

Youngsters use social apps in Smartphone for awareness about fashion
The respondents were asked about the level of fashion awareness they get by using social apps in Smartphone. Majority of respondents (44%) always get awareness about fashion through social media. While (30%) of them usually get information about fashion by using social apps in Smartphone.(14% ) of them occasionally get awareness about fashion by social media and only (11%) of respondents who rarely use social apps in Smartphone for getting awareness about fashion. Majority of respondent (44%) replied that they always get awareness about new trend of fashion via social apps. (36%) replied that they usually get awareness about new trend by using social application. While (12%) respondents of them occasionally get awareness about new trend in fashion and only (16%) respondents who rarely use social apps in Smartphone for getting awareness about new trend in fashion. Statistical test (Chi-square) applied to testify the third hypothesis and checked the significance of the hypothesis. According to the result, there is significant relationship between dependent and independent variables (use of social apps in Smartphone and awareness about fashion).Chi-square value is found to be 0.00 which is less than 0.5 so Null hypotheses have been rejected.
Hypothesis 2: Youngsters use social apps in Smartphone for awareness about fashion.
Result: Now social media has become a stronger medium for awareness about fashion and latest trend. Cooper (2012) shows in his result that Mobile phone are very helpful for quickly getting information about fashion. Mohr (2013) narrated in the result that Media has a strong and positive effect on the fashion nowadays even the social media like Facebook, twitter; Instagram etc. are also included as they have become a major medium. Importance of information provided by this medium enhances even more as people judge the quality of a show or designers. So With the reference of previous studies it's clear that majority of youngsters is happy with this opportunity provided by different social apps and has positive association with them.

Social apps in Smartphone provide an opportunity of job to youngsters through advertisement
Regarding this hypothesis majority of respondents (39%) said social apps in Smartphone always helpful in getting information about seeking job opportunity through ads and only (6%) said social apps are never helpful for seeking job opportunity .Maximum respondents(36.5%) used Face book for searching job opportunity through ads and majority (59%) respondents have currently made the use of social apps in Smartphone as a recruitment tool and 41% didn't make use of social apps in Smartphone as a recruitment tool. Statistical test (Chi-square) applied to testify the third hypothesis.
According to the result, there is significant relationship between dependent and independent variables (use of social apps in Smartphone and seeking job opportunity through ads).Chi-square value is found to be (0.00) which is less than (0.05) so Null hypotheses have been rejected.
Hypothesis 3: Social apps in Smartphone provide an opportunity of job to youngsters through advertisement.
Result: the networking choice of the Social Networking Sites is the greatest forecasting feature for effective recruitment, in specific for the target group orientation. Michaels et al. (2001) showed in result that in the age of competition where all companies needs talented and brightest people to work for them. Because hardworking and skilled people enhance companies work ability and target achieving ability. Talented employees are a biggest asset for company to survive in this completive time. Even searching for such people is also a biggest battle between companies. They have to plan and execute in order to hire them for company. So with the reference of previous study it's clear that social apps especially Facebook is very helpful for seeking new job opportunity and get a chance to start career and social apps have positive association with recruitment tool.

Intensive use of social apps in Smartphone is directly related with social isolation
Different Questions were asked about this hypothesis (22%) of respondents said they always feel loosing companionship by using social apps in Smartphone, (25%) respondents said they usually feel loosing companionship, (24%) replied they feel occasionally loosing companionship, (28.2%) respondents said they rarely feel loosing companionship by using social apps in Smartphone and only (.5%) said they never feel usage of social apps in Smartphone become the cause of losing companionship. (31%) respondents said they always feel social isolation by using social apps in Smartphone, (31%) respondents replied they usually feel social isolation, (31.5%) respondents replied they occasionally feel social isolation, (16%) said they rarely feel social isolation and only (2.5%) respondents said they never feel social isolation by using social apps in Smartphone. Statistical test (Chi-square) applied to testify the third hypothesis and checked the significance of the hypothesis.
According to the result, there is significant relationship between dependent and in dependent variables (use of social apps in Smartphone and social isolation).Chi-square value is found to be (0.00) which is less than (0.05) so Null hypotheses have been rejected.

Hypothesis 4:
Intensive use of social apps in Smartphone is directly related with social isolation.
Result: It's clear that there is association between social apps and isolation. Greater time consumption on social apps in Smartphone causes more isolation. Wilson et al. (2007) narrated in the result that social isolation means not to communicate at all with the peoples of society or different organizations of the society or not regularly communicate with them. In this study social isolation is conceptualizes in the form of relationship with family, friends, relative's etc.so it's found that social isolation as a negative impact on youngsters and create the feelings of loneliness.

Conclusion
Developed countries of world have already entered and advanced in digital age. Pakistan is also moving toward digital age slowly but reaching there will take time. A global social media manager platform named Hoot suite, released a report "digital in 2017" said that In Pakistan about 140 million mobile phone subscribed which show that Pakistan ranked the sixth most popular country in the world which economically going to relay on Mobile technology.
In the early year of 21 st century, the usage of social networking sites is in progress in Pakistan. All over the world especially in Pakistan youth population is at the front in the social networking sites. Through this study conclude that the majority of youngsters have access to social applications through Smartphone. According to the uses and gratification theory the user of social apps in Smartphone are active enough to gratify their needs and get self-esteem. So it has different impact on its users that might be positive and also negative.
Facebook is the most popular and favorite social app of youngsters and primary reason of using social apps is entertainment. Entertainment feature of Smartphone is providing the youngsters a way to release tensions through listening music, playing games & watching movies etc. and getting social satisfaction. Majority of youngsters are using social apps and most useable operating system is android as compared to IOS and windows. Most of Youngsters spend normally 3 to 8 hours on mobile in using social application. Social apps in Smartphone play an important role in the awareness of fashion and new trends not even in Pakistan but all over the world. In the last two years we can see the progress in fashion apps for different Smartphone and these apps offer allot of information about latest fashion trends. So it's proved through survey that it's a good feature of social apps of providing awareness about fashion. There is a significant relation between use of social apps in Smartphone and fashion awareness. Users of social apps are much informed as compared to those who do not use at all or use occasionally.
It also has been found in this research that youngsters use social apps in Smartphone to avail and be aware of new job opportunities through advertisements. There is an association between the use of social apps in Smartphone and seeking job opportunity. Those users who always use social apps in Smartphone have much better chance to start career. The role of social apps in recruitment have become much significant, different companies have lately started using social apps for recruitment purposes in order to find the right employees to fill their vacancies. The most favorite social app of youngsters for recruitment purpose is Facebook.Large number of youngsters as well as companies also uses social media plate form for the recruitment purposes but there still are majority of people who do not late advantage of this because they are not social apps users, Those needs to be educated about the importance of social media in job seeking. The results show that recruitment through social media has become a trend and this is understandable that this subject will gain more importance in future Usage of SNS is swaying undesirable societal norms and values. Its intensive usage results in isolation problem among young generation. Sense of isolation can be defined as having no friends to talk about important things and matters. This study reveals that large scale of respondents agree Intensive use of social apps make you feel losing companionship. Majorly of respondent feel social isolation and cut off with family, No get-together with friends not even with family, social apps have made people stick to their devices in person talking and meeting has become a rare thing and is fading away in our society, this is a big alarming situation and a huge disadvantage of social media usage. This thing makes them social isolation. Youngsters who spend much time on daily basis to use social apps in Smartphone feel more social isolation as compare to those who spends less time. So there is significant relationship between the intensive use of social apps in Smartphone and social isolation.