Influence of Social Networking Sites on the Lifestyle of Secondary School Students in Ado-Ekiti

ABSTRACT The use of social networking sites among secondary school students in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria, and the changes in their ways of life became the basis for this study. As more youths embark on the social network wagon, it begs the question how well it will shape or dictate the lives and living patterns among 11 to 16-year-old who get indulged with them. The study has adopted a descriptive survey design in which data are to be collected through the instrument of structured questionnaires administered to a sample of 150 students from different secondary schools in Ado-Ekiti. The findings from the study have revealed that quite a good number of the students are actively involved with social networking sites like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok. The main reasons for using these platforms include socialization with friends, educational purposes, and entertainment. The study highlights the positive and negative impacts on the students' lifestyles. The positive effects include improving learning whereby SNS expose the students to many sources of information; they discuss about education, and news on what is happening around them. In addition, through these sites, students acquire communication skills and increase their social networks. On the other hand, the research points out various challenges related to SNS use: increasing levels of distraction may have a negative impact on academic performance and concentration. Other concerns include exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and a potential decrease in face-to-face social interactions. The findings indicate that while SNS offer major opportunities for enhancement in education and social connectivity, they also pose risks that need to be managed strategically. The study concludes with recommendations for stakeholders such as educators, parents, and policymakers. It calls for the implementation of digital literacy programs that would educate students about responsible usage of SNSs. Additionally, it advocates for parents' surveillance of their children's online activities and promoting the use of technology in a balanced way to reduce risks. It is recommended that educators use SNS as educational tools in the classroom to maximize their positive potential while minimizing the drawbacks. Such recommendations are supposed to optimize the benefits of social networking for students while responding to the challenges at hand.