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Whatsapp and its Impact on Social Life of Youngsters: A Perspective

Article  in  Management Insight - The Journal of Incisive Analysers · June 2018

DOI: 10.21844/mijia.14.01.9

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 57

WHATSAPP AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIAL LIFE OF

YOUNGSTERS : A PERSPECTIVE
Management Insight
14(1) 57 -64
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21844/mijia.14.01.9
Prabha Kiran*, Abhishek Srivastava**
Correspondence Email : [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Technology has always been fascinating the humans and they have always found various techniques
that make it more useful to lead an easy lifestyle. The various innovations and advancements in
technological field have paved way for faster and better way of living. Whatsapp is one such
advancement that has drastically altered the way youngsters communicate with each other. This
paper examines the effect of Whatsapp usage on youngster’s relationships among themselves and
their friends and family. The dependency on Whatsapphas led to a number of social, physical and
psychological problems among youngsters. The addiction has altered the behavior and influenced
their relationships. This paper has tried to focus all such aspects and youngsters social behavior too
which has now created fake sense of belongingness, nearness and intimacy with their friends and
relatives.
Keywords : Whatsapp, Social media, problems with youngsters, usability, real time messaging

INTRODUCTION the ability to achieve little or substantial

Online organizations may allude to web- gatherings of people; for instance, a blog entry
based social may contact no individuals or a large number of
networking as individuals.
consumer generated
media (CGM). A SOCIAL LIFE OF A YOUNGSTER
consistent idea going Youngsters prefer to stay with their peers
through all that allow them to lower the risk of being left
meanings of online alone, feeling of sadness, worry and jealousy as
networking is really stated by a recent study conducted by Pew
a mixing of research (2015). In general youngsters prefer to
innovation and seek advice from parents and siblings especially
social cooperation in their growing years. As they grow and become
for the re-production of qualities. Clients can independent the closeness is further associated
discover data, instruction, news, and other with the friend circle they belong to and
information from electronic and print media. comparatively less when it comes to family. This
Online networking are particular from mechanical is psychologically also seen as a healthy part of
or customary media, for example, daily papers, growing up as they can learn to achieve a stability
TV, and film as they are relatively economical between the both family and friends. This need
and effectively available all over the place. One of interaction is the same even in today’s
post shared by web-based social networking holds technologically savvy world just the tools have
*Assistant Professor, Jain University, Bangalore (Karnataka);
**Assistant Professor, School of Management Sciences, Varanasi (UP)

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58 [ ISSN 0973-936X (print); 2456 0936 (online)] MANAGEMENT INSIGHT
support during challenging times. There will
definitely be the risk associated with using online
platforms but awareness and education will be
helpful in mitigating the risk to a great extent.
Social media have also been recognized for
the way they have changed how public relations
professionals conduct their jobs. They have
provided an open arena where people are free to
exchange ideas on companies, brands, and
products. Not only to professionals, it has also
induced the youngsters regarding its uses i.e.
whether sharing of notes or messages or
important documents any time anywhere.
evolved over the time. Social media has become Some of the properties that help to describe
an important tool for facilitating the interaction the social media are as follows:
and conversation with their friends. Pew
research has also highlighted that in US 76 percent
of all the teens are using social media to connect
with their friends and understand them better. In
another study conducted by MacArthur
foundation in the year 2014 it is revealed that
youngsters can learn basic social skills through
their online activity on social media. Skills like
maintaining a relationship and improving
negotiation abilities get a boost as they continue
to use the social media platform for a longer
period of time. Common sense media in the same
year have conducted a research that proved that
25 percent of the social networking users who
fall in the bracket of 13 years to 28 years have
emphasized that constant use of social media
makes them feel less shy and more outgoing, 20 The quality of information available on
percent have underlined that social media makes social media varies to a great extent. The range of
them more empowering, confident, more popular items can traced from very informative content
and enhance the feeling of empathy towards to the most abusive ones.In terms of reach, the
others. 15 percent have stressed on the fact that scale and capability of social media is vast. Since
the interactions over social media platforms it is completely decentralized, doesn’t encourage
makes them feel better about themselves. Meager hierarchical system and is highly identified by
percentage of respondent’s i.e. 5 percent, 4 percent multiple touch points in terms of utility. Another
and 3 percent have stated the opposite of above important aspect is its frequency, which
respectively. The report by Pew’s has also encourages multiple advertisers to display their
emphasized that 70 percent of youngsters ads on these platforms allowing them to reach a
strongly believe that they are able to connect consistent viewer segment. The free of cost nature
more efficiently to their friends feelings over makes it more appealing and accessible to users.
social media platform and almost 68 percent Usability is another aspect that requires minimal
have even received moral as well as emotional technological skills for anyone to start using social

Vol. XIV, No. 1; June 2018

Whatsapp and its Impact on Social Life of Youngsters : A Perspective 59
media platforms. The prompt response provided being hacked, or of schools and managers
to any query on social media also adds to the investigating web-based social networking pages.
remarkable feature possessed by these platforms. Turkle additionally guesses that individuals are
The responses mostly are from the trusted starting to lean toward messaging to eye to eye
sources that is our own peers and family correspondence, which can add to sentiments of
members who can be trusted. The facility of forlornness. A few studies have likewise
editing a response makes it more permeable in discovered that lone trades that included direct
nature and thereby making users more correspondence and response of messages to each
empowering. other expanded sentiments of connectedness. Be
In a current report led, secondary school that as it may, inactively utilizing web-based
understudies ages 18 and above were inspected social networking without sending or accepting
with an end goal to discover their inclination for messages to people does not influence individuals
getting news. In light of meetings with 61 to feel less forlorn unless they were desolate in
adolescents, directed from December 2007 to the first place.
February 2011, a large portion of the youngsters Recent studies have on WhatsApp have
announced reading print daily papers just statedthat it is a novel online networking interface
“sometimes,” with less than 10% of them reading that became functional in the year 2009, with the
it day by day. The young people rather revealed slogan “Basic, individual, continuous informing”.
in the study that they prefer to get information It is a versatile informing application which
from online networking locales, for example, enables the clients to trade messages without
Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and sites. Another paying for SMS. The WhatsApp delegate was
study has demonstrated that web-based social intentionally made by Brian Acton and Jan Koum
networking users prefer adifferentsequenceof (2009) to make correspondence and the
news that is unique in relation when compared dispersion of mixed media informing all the more
to what daily paper editors highlight in the print effectively and speedier. This application works
press. in relationship with web and acclaimed working
Information propose that members utilize frameworks of cell phones which enable its users
web-based social networking to satisfy apparent to keep in contact with companions and relatives
social needs, yet are commonly disillusioned. in the contact to list. Users can likewise create
Desolate people are attracted to the Internet for groups, can send boundless pictures, video and
passionate help. This could meddle with “Genuine sound messages to the group members and also
Socializing” by decreasing up close and personal people.
connections. A portion of these perspectives are Studies have demonstrated that WhatsApp
summed up in an Atlantic article by Stephen is the most famous instant messaging service
Marche titled, Is Facebook Making Us Lonely? in utilized by youth today. Youngsters who give
which the writer contends that web-based social more significance to friendship, social lives and
networking gives more broadness, however not family connections make use of WhatsApp in a
the profundity of connections that people require. substantial scale. The prominence of WhatsApp
Sherry Turkle investigates comparable issues among youth has brought an immense benefit
in her book Alone Together as she examines how among specialist co-ops since it allows them
individuals befuddle web-based social networking power at utilizing web information in a
use with genuine correspondence. She states that customized manner. The motivation behind why
individuals tend to act diversely on the web and WhatsApp is so prevalent among youth is that, it
are less hesitant to offend each other. Some online enables them to send boundless messages to their
practices can cause pressure and tension, because loved ones with no cost other than their web
of the presence of online posts, the dread of information system data plan for that they as of

Vol. XIV, No. 1; June 2018

60 [ ISSN 0973-936X (print); 2456 0936 (online)] MANAGEMENT INSIGHT
now utilizes as a part of their advanced mobile The article titled “WhatsApp could help
phones. The application is extremelyconvenient Facebook retain youth in countries like India”
to use subsequent to downloading. It published online on The Indian Express.com,
demonstrates to you all’s contacts that dated February 21, 2014, talks about the
useWhatsApp in your phone and furthermore acquisition of WhatsApp by Facebook. The reason
welcomes them who are yet to download and they state in the article is increasing number of
utilize. At that point they can begin informing, smart phone users in India and the proliferation
sharing audio records, video documents, of cheaper smart phones and data plans in India.
refreshing status, and so forth. Recent reports suggest that the youth have been
moving away from Facebook. WhatsApp, on the
WHATSAPP USES AND ITS EFFECT ON other hand, is the fastest growing messaging app.
YOUTH’S SOCIAL LIFE The acquisition is a way of future-proofing
A number of growth, especially in a young country like India
studies conducted where youth havestarted spending more time on
on effects of messaging apps.
Whatsapphave However, youngsters are getting highly
highlighted the impacted using Whatsapp in school work and
negative effects of social interactionand have been affected at the
it. There are many advent of these social media. Undergraduates
studies done on spend more time on WhatsApp through smart
WhatsApp and youth both in Indian and phones that are now in loads among these youths.
international scenario. A study entitled “The Now a days many youths cannot wait for two-
impact of WhatsApp messenger usage on students’ three hours without checking and updating their
performance in tertiary institutions in Ghana” by status and display pictures (DP) on these social
Johnson Yeboah and George Dominic Ewur networks even at the detriment of other activities
published in the journal of Education & Practice such as educational and career pursuit. Addiction
in the year 2014, has concentrated on the negative to WhatsApp shall result to the failure of
aspects of WhatsApp. Their study proved that controllingits usage which seriously harms a
the usage of WhatsApp has impacted negatively person’s life. Excessive mental preoccupation with
on the performance of students in Ghana. Some internet usage, repetitive thoughts about limiting
of the findings of the study were the following. or controlling the use, failure to prevent the
WhatsApp usage has led to lack of concentration desire for access, continuation of using the
during lectures, consumes much of students study internet though functionality is being ruined at
time, distracts students from completing their various levels, spending more and more time on
assignments, destroys students spellings and the WhatsApp, craving for using it when access is
grammatical construction of sentences. not available are the remarkable problems with
Another study entitled “Smartphone its addiction.
application usage amongst students at a South
AfricanUniversity”,done in the year 2012, assesses REVIEW OF LITERATURE
the usage of smartphone applications specifically In 2009, Brian Acton and Jan Koumhave
social networking applications amongst the users developed Whatsapp for a purpose like chat with
in South African University. The study proved friends at no cost. Since it’s a part of Social Media
that students remain online for 16 hours a day Campaign, youngsters of India found much
and spends an average of 5 hours per day on familiar with the advantages and disadvantages
their smart phones interacting with others of Whatsapp in our initial scrutiny and therefore
through social networking applications. it’s a charm which every individual wants to grab

Vol. XIV, No. 1; June 2018

Whatsapp and its Impact on Social Life of Youngsters : A Perspective 61
from the field of technology. Yalcinalp and body immune system, lack of proper exercise,
Gulbahar, (2010) focus on need expectancy, eye strain etc. more over it also effects the social
collaborative efforts and efficacy from the life of the individual such as relationship problem,
learner’s prospects. conflict with families, also effects the studies of
Youth has widely adopted this application younger generation like reduce in marks,
just because of its unmatchable attributes like concentration and other problems such as cyber
accessibility; ease of communication, seamless crime, exposure to pornographic materials etc. It
connectivity, real-time messaging services and was also revealed from the study that excessive
unique sense of belongingness along with zero use to internet can cause technological addiction.
costing and social connection. O’Hara et al. Kim (2008) in his study revealed that
(2014)has studied on WhatsApp users i.e. in the individual’s personalities also affect the usage of
age group between 17 and 49 yearat United internet. It stated that individual’s tendency to
Kingdom (UK) and observed attributes like social experience positive emotions and social
bonding and sense of belongingness amongst their involvement in terms of extraversion whereas
friends and family members.Yeboah and Ewur extravert individuals do not believe internet &
(2014) concluded in his study that Students of cyber relationships as social support.
Ghana, South Africa has tremendously degraded
with their grammars and spellings. Not only this THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
but they also looks non serious while attending The theoretical framework used in this study
faculty lectures because of this Whatsapp only. is the domestication theory where it focuses on
Devi and Tevera (2014) have observed that both the users relationships with their friends and
major social media platforms i.e. Facebook and relatives. This concept initially fixescomplex
WhatsAppwere used by the students for structures for the users of Whatsapp in day to
information distribution and communication day life in contrast with interpersonal
amongst them. Inclusive, though, most readings relationships, social backgrounds, digital
did not consider the challenges involved with the convergence and media adoptability.Haddon
simplicity of use and communication via (2006) insight with domestication theory and
WhatsApp messaging. So, on the basis of above suggested that it is much into connection with
study, this study aimed to investigate the practice research and its adaptation of technology, which
and effects ofWhatsApp messaging between signifies that what is the net gain and what is in
university students, but alsothe range to which loss category.
WhatsApp messaging is use to circulate This mainly investigates interactions and
information or media content, irrespective of its negotiations within the wider social networks
regulated or unregulated nature. (Silverstone & Hirsch, 1994; Haddon, 2004, 2006).
An article on “Indian Youth prefers (Berker et. al., 2006) coined Domestication as
WhatsApp, Facebook over SMS” published on ‘taming the untamed’ which provides few insights
June 16, 2013, in The Times of India Online into technological innovations i.e. how it fits with
newspaper. The research was conducted by Tata structures and routines of individuals’ daily lives.
Consultancy Services in year 2012- 2013, which Since adopting technology is an innovative way
was conducted for high school students covering to promote market whether directly or indirectly,
17500 students across 14 Indian cities. The study it works in synchronization and harmony to
concluded that more than 70 percent of the youth integrate knowledge and wisdom likewise. (Lie
now days are using smart phones with its full and Sorensen, 1996), stated that we should adopt
utilization. technology in such a way so that we can be
Gross (2001) found that excessive use of shaped by them. Thus, below mentioned model
smart phones can lead to psychological & physical works in connection with ‘Domestication theory’
problems such as insomnia, fatigue, reduction in and is therefore useful to examine the use and

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62 [ ISSN 0973-936X (print); 2456 0936 (online)] MANAGEMENT INSIGHT
challenges of WhatsApp in contrast with Youth • Access to Anonymous Contacts
of India. • Lack of Concentration with Classrooms or at
Public Places or with Family Members
• Part of Me Missing Syndrome

ADVANTAGES OFWHATSAPP:
The respondents listed out some of the
advantages of WhatsApp which actually plays a
vital role in the acceptance and popularity of this
application worldwide, few of them are as
follows:
1. Free of Cost:It comes with a free download
and users can install it on their mobile phone
Whatsapp Adoptability amongst Youngsters as well as they can access it on their desktop
or on laptops too.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2. Can Share Image/audio/Videos/Text/
The research methodology used in the Animation: This app can able to send images
present paper is secondary in nature. Secondary / texts / audio/ videos / animations to
research methodology is mainly useful in different contacts using its interface.
describing original research question. The data is 3. User Friendly:This application i.e.
collected from research papers published in WhatsApp connects friends and relatives
indexed journals, newspaper articles, magazines easily together and there is no need to be
and other secondary data resources like company online continuously coz it can add the
websites and white papers. message in queue while offline and when it
reconnects with internet, it sends the message
FINDINGS to appropriate destination.
In view with the domestication theory, 4. Maintains Chat History: It maintains chat
which provides valuable insights into the findings history for ever and when a user deletes it,
i.e. how ICTs fits into the structures and routines only then message disappears.
of an individuals’ daily lives. It has been observed 5. Last Seen Feature: WhatsApp enables its
that, the three dimensions of domestication users to observe their friend’s last seen time
theory in connection with WhatsAppare as i.e. they can view friend’s last log in time.
follows: 6. Fast and Quick Updates:WhatsApp is
absolutely quick and fast with its speed and
Cognitive Dimension status / photo updates and even location
• Easy to Use updates using GPS.
• Able to preview/backup/restore data 7. Bringing Friends Together: Group chat is
• End to end encryption the unique feature of WhatsApp which
enables users for a group chat.
Practical Dimensions: 8. Chatting Across Geographical
• Gain Synergies Boundaries : Irrespective of different
• Improves Public / Private Spheres geographical locations, users can chat with
• No Geographic Constraints friends and relatives where they are located
• Diversification of Businesses at.
9. Outstanding Performance:The speed is so
Symbolic Dimensions good that it works on 4GPhone as well as
• Consumes lots of space even with 2G speed too. So users can chat,

Vol. XIV, No. 1; June 2018

Whatsapp and its Impact on Social Life of Youngsters : A Perspective 63
update photos, videos and audios with great positive side of a coin but also the negative one
reliability over the network. too.
The study is restricted to only smartphone
OTHER FEATURES OF WHATSAPP: users so the perception regarding WhatsApp
1. Photos can be easily downloaded from the negative effects can become biased. Other
user’s profile. messaging apps like Viber and Hike can also be
2. WhatsApp provides a feature with which studied along with WhatsAppin order to have a
one can chat with anonymous people simply better understanding about the impact of these
by adding his/her phone number to his messaging apps on youngsters.
contact list.
3. No restriction on size or quality of messages CONCLUSION
and can be send to any one any time. In this paper, we have tried to connect a
4. Youths are so addictive with the features of side which is not at all appreciable in connection
Whatsapp that they lack with concentration with Indian Youths and that can be challenged in
in classrooms just because of its messages the coming years with lot many researches and
and chat features which makes it dynamic studies over them. The concept of domestication
all the time. theory has well applied here just to understand
5. With the unique 24/7 online feature of socioeconomic changesand occupancy of ICT in
Whatsapp, majority of youth lacksin daily life of an individual who hold the
communication with theirfamily members opportunity to blush the world with his innovative
and they often involved in the world of ideas and suggestions but somehow they
virtual syndrome. restricted them with just an app like Whatsapp
6. User feels like they are being missed with which is good for nothing as they have tried to
their friends in Virtual world and thus they build a relationship on virtual platform which
should always be online and remain utmost justifies the theory of Domestication.
connected with their friends and relatives No doubt, intimacy may be developed with
thus they keep mobile phones always with any person while sharing ideas, innovations,
them even while sleeping so that they can’t views, perceptions while chatting but since it
miss a single message any time anywhere. purely belongs to a virtual world with full of mix
EventhoughWhatsApp is having some feelings and emotions. But owing a smart phone
negative sides, still youth prefers to use it to get and chatting with friends on mobile may not be
connected with their close ones. as beneficial as a personal meeting with them.
This is the place where this Whatsapp creates a
LIMITATIONS, SUGGESTIONS AND SCOPE challenge to all their users. Undoubtedly,
With the use of Domestication theory, we WhatsApp may create a unique sense of
have tried to concentrate on the theories which belongingness, nearness and intimacy with chat
justify the work in connection with domestic friends but it also creates a psychological issue to
sphere and personal engagements with innovative the concern because of human nature. WhatsApp
technologies. Youth has now become so smart has actually replaced Facebook and other social
and courageous that they don’t even bother to media connections because of its unique selling
adopt new challenges and technologies for the up proposition and therefore smart phone penetrates
gradation of their life and this only impacts a lot Indian Youth very much. WhatsApp with its
on their work life balance and technology tagline “Simple Personal Real time messaging”
adaptation. Thus they always be guided by the has proved that its tagline is very much apt for
term Technology in every area which is not at all the brand. And this was the only reason why
appreciable coz they are not only adopting the Mark Zuckerburg, owner and creator of Facebook

Vol. XIV, No. 1; June 2018

 64 [ ISSN 0973-936X (print); 2456 0936 (online)] MANAGEMENT INSIGHT
acquired Whatsapp recently and this will personality traits. European Psychiatry, 23(3): 212-
definitely play significant role in the development 18.
of Indian Youth in near future. • Lie, M., & Sorensen, K. (1996). Making technologies
our own? Domesticating technology into everyday
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