Examining the Impact of Social Media on Young People in the UK

This report investigates the multifaceted impact of social media on young people in the United Kingdom. It begins with an introduction that outlines the background, aim, and objectives of the study, followed by a literature review exploring the positive and negative effects of social media on youth, including its influence on mental health, self-esteem, and online behavior. The report then details the research methodology, including the research type, approach, philosophy, data collection methods, and ethical considerations. It highlights the use of a deductive approach and interpretivism research philosophy, with secondary data collection and thematic data analysis. The report also includes a time plan and work breakdown structure (WBS) to illustrate the research process. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and offers recommendations based on the research, addressing both the benefits and drawbacks of social media use among young people. The report aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject and contribute to the ongoing discussion about the impact of social media on the younger generation.

IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON
YOUNG PEOPLE IN UK

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Background.............................................................................................................................3
Aim.........................................................................................................................................3
Objectives...............................................................................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
Form of affect of social media on youngsters........................................................................3
Degree of impact of social media...........................................................................................4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................6
Time Plan.........................................................................................................................................8
WBS...............................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION.............................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Background
Social media refer to set of applications and websites that are especially created to permit
individual person to share content effectively and quickly and in real time (Jonas and Toobi,
2020). It is a collective term for several websites which focus on communication, community
based interaction, input and message sharing. Today, use of social media platforms and sites is
common thing, people use it to communicate with friends & family member. The use of this tool
put negative or positive affect on people especially youngsters in all around the world because
they are addicted for social media. The current assignment will explain the effect of social media
on young people in UK. It will justify what extent young people get influenced by social media.
In this report, appropriate methodology will describe that can be used while conducting research.
Furthermore, appropriate suggestions and final conclusion at the end of study will explain in
systematic manner.
Aim
“The aim of this study is to examine the social media impact on young people in the
United Kingdom”.
Objectives
 To analyse the type of impact of social media on young people
 To investigate the level of impact of social media
 To provide recommendations and conclusion
LITERATURE REVIEW
Form of affect of social media on youngsters
According to Charteris, Gregory and Masters, (2018) social media have become
ubiquitous in lives of young people or youngsters, they are spending every maximizing amount
of time online for playing games, chatting with friends and other purposes. Young people engage
with social media highlight, 8.6% of child aged 4 to 18 spending more than 4 hours on social
network on normal education days that out negative impact on their mental as well as physical
health. In UK, young people were extensive users of social media, that is not good for their
mental health. They spend a lot of time on social media, they are also more susceptible to low
self-esteem and metal ill health. There are many content related to suicide and other things on
social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that directly impact mental balance of

young people. Because of this, young people experience a lot of depression and when family
member does not listen to them, then youngsters does the same thing as another person do in post
of social media site like Facebook. Potential negative affect of this technology on at risk young
people are obtaining increasing attention.
On the other hand, Rodriguez-Ayllon and et.al., (2019) highlighted that use of social
media put positive impact on young people mental and physical health as well. It allows people
to build strong bond with their friends and sustain relationship as well for longer period of time.
It can be said that creation of online communication at social media sites make youngsters able
to be more honest and open in their conversations with friends about their feelings & thoughts.
Many such posts are uploaded on social media by reading which children can get more
information related to health and education which they can use in current as well as further
practices. It can lead to effective effect youngsters health related to behaviours and knowledge.
Physical educators on social media post health related information that give essential
contribution in context of development of young people, it makes them able to identified
physical education as source of health education. It analysed that social media can be fun for
them, it can have quite real positive impact on young people, helping them to enhance their
communication abilities, build their confidence level and express themselves creatively. It plays
vital role in building and boosting self-confidence and self-esteem in youth.
Degree of impact of social media
According to Radovic and et.al., (2017) use of social media can cause a number of impact
such as mental, emotional, psychological and physical issues among young people. It impacts at
high level in negative manner, young people are becoming highly addicted to gaining followers
and likes and access to constant social interaction. This kind of addiction makes them weaker
mentally, in case when they do not obtain likes at each post or picture according to desire which
makes them be always angry. It is very easy to create profile at social media sites where number

of people are already accessible to share their innovative thoughts with other and makes friends
as well. Some times Young people can begin to cyber bully another person, it can lead to many
things such as suicidal and depression thoughts. Despite this technology playing a positive role
for most, many investigation shows that high utilizes of social media can have negative effect
young self-esteem at intense level. Three in four young individual feel pressure to look better
than others and mostly fourth of them have been bullied or trolled online. It influences decision
makings process of people about their lifestyles and health.

Alderson and Morrow, (2020) stated that social media make positive impact but at
medium level on young people include making them able to gather data about events happening
around the world and also allow them network & stay connected with their fellow youths without
physical meeting in effective manner. By building a positive digital image using social media is
the best way for young people to shine online, show their different personality, talent and
creative thinking. There are so many positive lessons that young people can learn from social
media sites despite negative. It definitely aids them learn to take criticism from strangers without
being drawn into digital bad fight. It can be a actual challenge for their minds looking to express
themselves and important lesson to understand before getting a specific job. It can be said that
social media affects lives of young people at a moderate level in positive manner which is good.
It caters a platform to show creativity and technology savvy. In recent time, young people use
their smartphone in which social media and Wi-Fi have become compulsory survival element. It
perceived as source to connect with others by either sharing live moments or even posting a
lifestyles' statement.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Type: Research is regarded as a study which is conducted with the purpose of
understanding the answer to the issue which is being faced by the client. Classifying the research
or study on its type then there are two different type of research i.e. Quantitative and Qualitative
research type (Ulmer, 2017). Quantitative research, scholar study the numerical data related to
the topic of the study and try to find out the solution of the study also in the numerical ways
only. Same time Qualitative research is the one in which more in depth research is conducted of
non numerical information. For the current research scholar has chosen the alternative of
Qualitative research, reason behind the same which is pass on by scholar is that it was very
difficult for the researcher in presenting the outcome of the research in the numerical way, as
good amount of qualitative information is also there in the study.
Research Approach: Research approach is defined as a suit of the activity including
variety of the assumption in regards to the activity such as data collection, interpretation and
analysis. In the field of conducting the research two common;y prioritize research approach are
Inductive and deductive approach (Hickson, 2016). Inductive approach is classified as a one in
which stats and different observation theories in the research is proposed toward the end of the
research result in the organization. At the same time the deductive research approach is the one
in which different theories are developed with the help of the outcome of the research in the long
run. For finding out the solution and result of the research, researcher has gone with the
deductive research approach. Reason behind the same which is identified is that it generally used
to provide good hand of support for the type of the research type which has been selected by the
scholar in the study.
Research Philosophy: Research philosophy is generally regarded as a different belief in
regards of the way in which different data about the phenomenon can be gather used or analysed.
Research was having two different alternative to chose any one of them to process the study.
First one is positivism research philosophy, it is the type of the philosophy which is over
depended upon the factual data and the information. At the same time Interpretivism research
philosophy is regarded as a philosophy which is more concern toward understanding the human
interest which is linked with the topic of study. For achieving the Aim and objective of current
study the researcher has chosen the interpretivism research philosophy. Reason behind the same

is identified that this philosophy has helped the research in understanding the human interest
involve in the study as well.
Data collection: Process through which different information can be gather is known as a
data collection tool. Different outcome which are derived are derived on the basis of data or
information collected (Basias and Pollalis, 2018). Primary and secondary are two commonly
referred data collection tool in the field of study. Primary data is the type of the data in which
information is collected for the very first time in organization. At the same time, secondary data
is generally collected from the source who have in the past has collected the data as a primary
data in the organization. For the current study the researcher has gather the different data with
help of secondary data collection tool in which researcher has gone through variety of different
type of journal and article related to the topic of the research.
Data analysis: The process of interpenetrating the variety of the different data which has
been collected with the help of Data collection tool is known as Data analysis process. In the
current research researcher has shown the trust upon thematic data analysis tool (King and
Mackey, 2016). In which the different data will be presented with the help of the variety of the
different type of data and supported by different author.
Ethical consideration: In the process of carrying out the research for the client, researcher
has followed the variety of the different type of ethical issue which is linked with the same in the
research. As scholar has taken up the consent of all the participant before hand itself. Also the
researcher in the research has make sure that good level of confidentiality is maintained through
out the process of carrying out the research for the client. Also researcher has collected the
information from the reliable source.
Research limitation: Scholar has find the two limitation in the research. The first
limitation which was identified was the time allotted was limited. For the same reason scholar
has taken help of the project team. At the same time another issue which is being faced is the
source through which data can be collected. So for overcoming the same issue research has taken
help of tutor.

Time Plan
Activity 1th
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2nd
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10th
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11th
Week
12th
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Research
topic is
selected
Research
topic
approval
Concludes
Literature
Review
Tools used to
conduct
research
Methodology
Factors are
identified
After factors
are
determined,
Questionnair
e is prepared.
Collects facts

and data of
that topic.
Writing
reflection
Analysed
them by
using
thematic
method.
Rechecked
the data and
information
before
submitting.
Submit the
final report.

WBS

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
After going through the above data it has been concluded that there is good sort of the
negative impact which is seen by the teenager due to Social media. For the same reason it has
been recommended that people are the one who has been one of the result for such a impact. So
it is recommended to the consumer that they used to involve in more physical activity these will
eventually help the individual in building a line in which they will understand negative impact of
social media as well .