Vol. 6 No.

1 December 2017 ISSN: 2319-961X

Vol. 6 No. 1 December 2017 ISSN: 2319-961X UGC Approval Impact Factor: 3.104
No: 44192

A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA AMONG

TAMIL NADU YOUTHS

Article Particulars
Received: 24.11.2017 Accepted: 9.12.2017 Published: 23.12.2017
M.MADHAVAN
Assistant Professor of Economics
A.A. Government Arts College, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu

A.SAKTHIVEL
Assistant Professor of Economics
A.A. Government Arts College, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu

K.KRISHNAKUMAR
Ph.D. Research Scholar
A.A. Government Arts College, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu

Abstract
The younger generation is fond of social media and networking. At the same time the elders are
always cautioning them about the use of social media. Technological advancements is booming rapidly
from year to year, and the younger generations are the ones caught in this rapid change. Today social
media and the advent of the cyber world around us have led to youngsters being immersed in it. There
is growing concern on how it affects their life. Today, social media and networking is a term that
everyone knows. Even the most remote areas of theworld youngsters have at least heard of Facebook,
Twitter, Gmail, Whatsapp, Instagram, Blog, YouTube etc., and are probably using them on aregular
basis. Social network sites (SNSs) now popularly useSocial media facilitate and the development of
online social networks by connecting a user's profile with those of other individuals and/or groups.
Social media are computer-mediated technologies that allow the creating and sharing of information,
ideas, career interests, pictures videos, and documents other forms of expression via virtual
communication and networks. In Tamil Nadu the impact of social media is very high among the young
generation. Due to the use of the social media and networking the youngsters made tremendous
contribution during the Chennai flood. During the Jallikattu issue, the social media and networking
brought millions of people into the street to fight for the cause. At least one person per family
participated in the state wide agitation and finally they got success. Social media and networking today
consists of thousands of social media platforms, all serving the same purpose but in a slightly different
manner. Of course, some social media platforms are more popular than others, but even the smaller
ones get used by a portion of the population because each one caters to a very different type of
person. As social networking becomes more popular among older and younger generations, sites such
as Facebook and YouTube gradually undermine the traditionally authoritative voices of news media. In
addition, social media began to be one of the ways in which internet marketers and website owners
would boost the visibility of their websites. The benefits of social media marketing for business began
to become quite clear to business owners large and small. Social media bookmarking became quite
popular and there were services that would bookmark a post or a website across dozens or even
hundreds of social media services.

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Introduction
Technology such as social media websites have become a parts of life for many
young people today. Online social media have expanded worldwide growth and
popularity. People throughout the worlds regularly use the Internet, Desktop Computers,
Laptops, Smart Phones and Cellular Phones to gather information, communicate, for
chatting and sharing the pictures and videos with each other. The growth in social
media and networking, particularly social networking sites, has created increased
opportunity for media communications that have an impact upon institutions of higher
learning. The term 'social media' is used here to describe dynamic and socially-
interactive, networked information and communication technologies,This provides the
opportunity to continue relationships that in the past would have been too distant and to
build new relationships with friends from around the world. This ability to interact with
others is an unique feature of social media and networking which provides powerful new
ways for teenagers to create and navigate their social environments. People’s use of
social media occurs simultaneously with their developing identity, emerging sexuality,
physical development, and moral consciousness. In Tamil Nadu the impact of social
media is very high among the young generation. Due to social media and networking the
youngsters made tremendous contribution during the Chennai flood. Also, due tothe
social media and networking millions of people all over Tamil Nadu took to the street to
fight for the cause of Jallikattu issue. At least one person per family participated in the
state wide agitation and finally they got success. At this juncture the present study
made an attempt to study the real impact of social media and networking among Tamil
Nadu youths.
Social Media during the Chennai Cyclone and Flood
During the Cyclone the Tamil Nadu youth have actively taken to social media for a
cause. The floods in December 2015 were a clear example of this and so also was
Cyclone Vardah. As Cyclone Vardahcaused damage and destructions in Chennai, social
media platform- Facebook, started its “Safety check” option for all those in south India
who may get affected due to this natural disaster.
The feature is activated by the company during natural or man- made disasters to
quickly determine whether people in the affected geographical area are safe. On the
other hand the youth started their actions with the support of social media. The core
team begins a dual operation plan: rescue and rehabilitation. Overnight, a new control
Centre is created with all operations under one roof. Volunteers furiously share details.
There’s no time to analyse why requests are not coming down. As young professionals
return to work, new volunteers arrive. Some of them were young smart girls with clipped
accent who effortlessly blend with a team of drivers and helpers, carrying boxes with
ease and heading into suburbs? Chennai girls!

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With no power supply and water logging, watching news on TV or getting

newspapers was not possible for the first few days. Also with radio signals being poor,
social media accessed through mobile phones became the most popular means of
staying in touch with what was happening in the city. Even with limited connectivity,
having a charged mobile became such a critical asset that along with food, water and
other relief material, power banks were distributed allowing people to charge their
phones.
• From weather forecast updates on skymet, to latest updates on Twitter of how to
commute from one point to another based on which roads the water had receded.

• Every time the mobile signal improved everybody tried to reach out to their loved
ones by posting and commenting on Twitter, Facebook and other network sites
which happened instantaneously unlike messaging which takes time to send or
download, thereby enabling communication before the signal went off again.
• Even as normal calls were not going through, the calls made through WhatsApp were
having lesser drop rates, helping people stay in touch. Massive rehabilitation was
made with the support of social media during this issue.
Entire Chennai people came together with the support of their social media network and

contributed to the needy in time.

Social Media and Jallikkattu

If there is one thing to take away from the Jallikattu protests at the Marina beach, it is
the power of social media and the ripples it can create in our daily lives.
How did Jallikattu suddenly define Tamil identity for numerous city-bred
youngsters? The answer to that question is surprisingly simple: social media.
#We do Jallikattu was one of the popular hashtags to pop up. The hashtag started
getting momentum even before Pongal, becoming a conduit to aggregate supporters.
Many versions of the hashtag like #I Support Jallikattu, #We do Jallikattu, #Amend PCA,
#Justice for Jallikattu started trending ferociously.
These posts did not stop at being mere expressions of solidarity, it also explained
why they were supporting the cause. Most of the popular posts claimed that the attack
on Jallikattu was to enable vested foreign interests who wanted to eliminate competition
by wiping out rural breeds. But the validity of these claims are again debatable.

The music posted by actor-musician Hip Hop Tamizhaa.k.aAadi, became viral and
one of the faces of the protest, resurfaced on everyone’s news feeds with long statuses
in the social media about the need to ‘preserve our identity’.
And then there was the whooper, the Marina beach protests. After the protestors at

Alanganallur were forcibly removed, a few people gathered at Marina to show

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solidarity. With a solid social media conversation already in place, the initially small
protest gathered huge traction on social media, drawing huge numbers to the beach.
From then each and every development in this issue was widely shared using all
forms of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Images of
people sleeping at the Marina beach on the first night of the protest, and the now iconic
image of youngsters flashing their phone lights, were shared and re-shared with
religious reverence. In an uncanny deja-vu moment from the floods, social media pages
once again became sources of information for food, blankets and other such amenities.
Pages like Chennai Memes, Chennaites, Jallikattuveeravilayatu gathered followers
overnight, becoming go-to places for information. The issue has become part of
common conversation. Karthikeya Senapathy, PR, Aadi, Balaji, became household
names. People were flushed with a new found energy to fight for their identity, to an
extent that the identity protest almost overshadowed the economic angle of it.
Faces of the protest also took to social media. Celebrities tweeted their support,
there were videos of actors voicing their solidarity, again widely re-shared kept fuelling
the energy these youth had. A video of Tamil actor Vijay, which was posted online
during the agitation, attacking PETA was a massive hit on social media. Actor-radio
jockey Balaji’s emotional video at the beach became viral in social media next to actor
Vijay’s speech. More such videos and posts of the protestors on the beach, made the
entire city swell with a sense of community. As the glamour increased, the event drew
more and more footfall, as now people wanted to be a part of it whether they support the
cause or not.
After the protests took an unpleasant turn, Aadi again took to Facebook to convey
that he is distancing himself from them, because they had lost direction. With the city
embroiled in violenceBalaji urged the students to stop the protest and return home
again through a video on his Facebook page. Actor-Director Raghava Lawrence, who
was actively involved in the issue, posted a similar video on his Facebook wall. The
Jallikattu agitation has strongly expressed many things. The most important one is that
the politicians and government have a new opponent and this one doesn’t need a
microphone, only a Twitter account.
Social Media and Ban on Pepsi and Coke
Farmers and youngsters of Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu have joined hands to
protest against the utilisation of water from Thamirabharani River to make soft drinks.
The protest became active once again after the Madras High Court's verdict to lift the
ban from Pepsi and Coca-Cola to use the river water for production of soft drinks.
In October 27, 2015, a major protest against the allotment of land for Pepsi Co.
factory and to allow the usage of Thamirabharani river water turned ugly when a clash
broke out between farmers/pro-Tamil groups and the police leaving many of the farmers
wounded.

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At this juncture the Social media strongly initiate propaganda against carbonated
beverages especially against Pepsi and Coke. Within a month Pepsi and Coke lost their
sales by 75 percent. Coke and Pepsi disappeared from most shop shelves in Tamil Nadu
immediately, as traders in the state began a boycott of the multinational cola giants. An
apex body of traders associations in January called for a boycott of soft drinks made by
PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd and Coca-Cola India, due to this the shopsin Tamil Nadu
stopped selling other products made by the two companies.
Social Media and Neutrino Issue
Neutrinos are abundant subatomic particles that are extremely hard to detect.
Billions pass through each square centimeter of earth every second, but barely any
leave a trace. But if the INO is not built soon, other projects — including one that broke
ground in China a year ago — may get there first, says D. Indumathi, a theorist at the
Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai who is part of the INO collaboration, and
coordinates outreach for it. “Longer than a year of delay and it will be difficult to have
viable physics goals, at least of the current type,” she says. The idea was conceived in
2001 and originally planned for completion in 2012, the INO has faced a rocky path in the
process. To shield the enormous detector from the confounding zoo of subatomic
particles that pummels Earth’s surface, the facility needs to be built more than a
kilometer underground. The first earmarked site was ruled out in 2009 after a lengthy
battle with conservationists over its proximity to an elephant and tiger reserve.
The current site, in Theni District of Tamil Nadu state, faced strong objection from
the people as soon as it was put forward in 2010. Local villagers worried that the facility
would deplete or contaminate their restricted water supply, and cut off access to land for
grazing livestock.Since then, however, local environmental organizations and politicians
have taken up the issue, and the list of objections has swelled to include fears that the
lab will emit radiation and store nuclear weapons, and that the excavation will threaten a
nearby dam. Now this project got suspended due to the strong objection and doubts
raised through social media networks. Many villagers have turned against the project
without understanding the reality.
Social Media and Fisherman Issue
The issue of fishermen arrests and fishing vessel seizures between India and Sri
Lanka has dragged on for several years. In a latest incident, the Sri Lankan Navy
allegedly fired at a group of Indian fishermen who had crossed over into Sri Lankan
waters on the lookout for fresh catch. One fisherman was killed in the incident and three
others were injured. The Sri Lankans opened fire on the fishermen who were apparently
fishing off the coast of Tamil Nadu between Dhanushkodi and Katchatheevu.
Often, fishermen from both sides cross over International Maritime Boundary Line

(IMBL) to the other side for bottom trawling fishing expeditions and those results in

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arrests and, on many occasions, shootings by Srilankan Navy. In 2013, Union Minister of
State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran informed RajyaSabha that no
separate data is maintained in respect of fishermen who are reported missing while
fishing in Indian waters and high seas.
According to Joint Working Group on Fisheries (JWGF) data of December 2016, 111
boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen and 51 Indian fishermen were arrested or detention in Sri
Lanka’s Northern Province.
The issue arises more out of a domestic tussle rather than the India-Sri Lanka view
on the issue. The Central government of India, according to the 1974 accord, recognises
Sri Lanka’s sovereignty over Katchatheevu. Now the Tamil fishermen, Tamil Nadu’s
political fraternity and the Centre are embroiled in a disagreement. Tamil fishermen
believe that Katchatheevu is traditionally their territory and so they have a right to fish
there. The Sri Lankan authorities believe that this endangers the livelihood of Sri Lankan
fishermen. After the Fourth Eelam War in 2009, the situation seems to have turned worse
for Tamil fishermen in the northern province of Sri Lanka. In this issue the social media
in Tamil Nadu created more awareness among common man and bring together the
entire Tamil community to fight for the cause.
Social Media and Politics
A democratic society relies upon voter decision to elect representatives and upon
mass media communication networks to inform the electorate. The countries which were
able to establish good tradition of party politics democracy was able to survive and gain
greater strength. The Mass media of communication enable the state and its leaders to
reach people even the remote corners of the country. Politicians’ constructive political
communication can help to solve some of the problems like economic crisis, political
turmoil, social and ethnic unrest and the age-old injustice and exploitation. The present
study may help us to have an objective political communication.

Objectives
In the light of above discussions following objectives are identified for the present study.
• To study the awareness of social networking sites used by society peoples.
• To analyze the impact of youngster’s age, gender, education, income and
occupation.
• To establish for which purpose, apart from communication, youngster use social
networking sites.
Research Questions
1. Availability information of social media network.
2. Level of entertainment in social media network
3. Supports of social media networks in the Business development
4. Public awareness on social media.

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Importance of Social Media and Social Networks

At present we encounter lots of social media initiatives which caters the informative
role in making people aware about the ill practices prevailing in the society. The primary
focus is on the harms of social media. It is important to recognize that there are
numerous positive aspects associated with social media usage. Social media offers the
ability to form a group of like-minded people to work together. Social sites allow users to
communicate and make connections, both personal and professional. Before social
networking sites became popular, people met on the Internet mainly through chat
rooms, instant messaging services, and email. Most social networking sites are free to
use, or at least free to try, so just get out there and see what’s available.
Media Sharing Networks
Social network is defined by the primary type of media shared among users viz.
Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Gmail, Blog and Hike etc. Have amazing video and image-
sharing capabilities; however, the majority of posts shared on these channels contain
text. There are video call and voice call specialty for skype, facebook, hike, whatsapp,
imo, and viber etc., whereas channels such as Flickr or Instagram, use, images as the
main focus—users have to choose, upload and edit image files before proceeding with
anything else, such as captions or mentions of other users. Similarly, with sites such as
YouTube and Vimeo, or apps like WeChat, Line and Snapchat, video is the primary mode
of communication.
Methodology
The Research Design
The study is exploratory in nature and it aims to explore the factors that signify the
impact of Social Media and social networking on youngsters in Tamil Nadu. Data
collected through self-designed questionnaire encompassing the statements to judge
the impact. Review of literature from primary sources provided the base for identifying
the availability information, entertainment, business development and public awareness
in the questionnaire.
The Sample
Data were collected from 50 respondents who are educated (Min Qualification –
SSLC and Graduate) and using Social media. Sample consisted of both males & females,
who have been contacted personally. The 50 respondents were in the age group of 15-30
years.
Tools for Data Collection
A self-designed Questionnaire was framed using three point scales from “most
impact”, “more impact”, and “less impact” with comparative weights of one to five. Data
was collected from youth comprising students and working professionals.

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Tools of Data analysis

Data collected through questionnaire is classified, coded, tabulated and analyzed
with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, version 24). The data was
analysed using one-way ANOVA for indicating the impact of Social Media on youngster
for Social Services.
Testing of Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference in the opinion of the respondents of different ages,
gender, educational qualifications, monthly income and occupations on the impact of
social media on availability of information, entertainment, business development and
public awareness.
Alternative Hypothesis
There is a significant difference in the opinion of the respondents of different ages,
gender, educational qualifications, monthly income and occupations on the impact of
social media on availability of information, entertainment, business development and
public awareness.
Review of Literature
Soumya Dutta (2011) “Social Responsibility of Media and Indian Democracy” states
that mass media have influenced human life in the present century in different forms.
They have provided information and entertainment to people across countries. Print
media, being the leader over a considerable period of time has now got stiff competition
from Television media, which is responsible for many of the social changes. The main
public interest criterions that the media need to consider include freedom of publication,
plurality in media ownership, diversity in information, culture and opinion, support for
the democratic political system, support for public order and security of the state,
universal reach, quality of information and culture disseminated to the public, respect
for human rights and avoiding harm to individuals and the society. Informing the
citizens about the developments in the society and helping them to make informed
choices, media assists democracy to function in its true spirit.
P Thirumoorthi, C Ramesh kumar (2015),states that the networking sites have made
it possible for us to chat with friends who live in distant places as well as share with
them pictures and videos of whatever we are up to instantly. Today, it is very hard to
find a teenager who doesn’t have a Yahoo, a Gmail, a Face book, or a Twitter account
which help them to keep in touch with their friends, to express or share what they have
in mind and to use for school-related purposes. No doubt, these sites are of great help in
the youth’s daily life. Also there are many potential benefits in social networking sites.

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These sites can provide opportunities for new relationships as well as strengthening
existing relationships, whether the friends are closer home or across the world.
Dr. Linda Steiner (2012), states that myriad of existing platforms for social media
vary in purpose, intended audience and popularity. Frequently mentioned among them
in this study are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Tumblr. For instance, a
writing-focused course included a lecture on the importance of social media platforms,
like Twitter. It was accompanied by an exercise where we were expected to write tweets
in a breaking news style. In another course, the professor set up a Facebook page used
to share videos as well as provide updates about the class. Being in classes and
listening to panels and conferences that incorporated social media or that encouraged
this kind of incorporation made her wonder how other schools approached the
apparatus and how it was being integrated into their programs, curricula and online
presence.
Sarah Woolley (2013), states that, Sojourner is a term commonly used in study
abroad literature to describe an individual who is temporarily studying and living in a
foreign county, otherwise referred to as a “study abroader” (Twombly, Salisbury,
Tumanut&Klute, 2012). Thousands of miles away from home, access to the Internet and
social media remains in the sojourner’s pocket due to international cellular data plans
on smartphones. Within seconds, taking a tour through Vatican City can switch to an
interactive online experience with friends and family back at home. This instant
communication allows a transparent and comforting experience for both the senders
and the receivers.
Ms. SisiraNeti (2011), in his study on “Constantly Connected: The Impact of Social
Mediaand the Advancement in Technologyon the Study Abroad Experience” states that
social media supports for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable
publishing techniques. Social media uses web-based technologies to turn
communication into interactive dialogues. Social media is the medium to socialize.
Social media quickly disseminate knowledge and information to a huge number of
users. They allow creation and exchange of user-generated content. Facebook, Twitter,
Hi5 and other social networking sites are collectively referred social media. Social media
represents low-cost tools that are used to combine technology and social interaction
with the use of words.
Tarek A. El-Badawy& Yasmin Hashem (2015), in their opinion the younger generation
discussed in this research paper are school students between the ages of 12 to 19 years
old. A few of the platforms they use are Facebook, YouTube, Google, and many others
that will be discussed in the findings of this research. The younger generation is the
individuals that will lead our world in the future, they must be well educated to be able to
impact this world and make Egypt a better country on the road to success. The study
conducted about the different things they are exposed to, that may affect them
negatively or positively. Their research aims to assess the frequency at which the

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students are social networking, and whether it has any effect on their academic
performance.
Dr. A. JesuKulandairaj (2014), said that social media supports interaction among
people in which they create share or exchange information and ideas in virtual
communities and networks, it depends on mobile and web -based technologies to create
highly interactive platforms. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to
communication between organizations, communities, and individuals, the increased use
of the Internet as a new tool in communication has changed the way people interact.
Recently, a new means of online communication has emerged with its own set of
idiosyncrasies. This new communication style occurs through the use of social
networking site.
Results and Discussion
To capture the impact of social media on Indian youth, the present study used factor
analysis model. Four factors emerge from the factor analyses which are discussed
further.
Table 1
Impact on Availability information
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Between .561 2 .280 1.135 .330 Ho:
Gender Groups Accepted
Within Groups 11.619 47 .247
Total 12.180 49
Between .286 2 .143 .414 .663 Ho:
Age Groups Accepted
Within Groups 16.214 47 .345
Total 16.500 49
Between 8.472 2 4.236 3.372 .043 Ho:
Monthly Groups Rejected
Income Within Groups 59.048 47 1.256
Total 67.520 49
Between .595 2 .298 .292 .748 Ho:
Education Groups Accepted
Within Groups 47.905 47 1.019
Total 48.500 49
Between 1.647 2 .823 2.002 .146 Ho:
Occupation Groups Accepted
Within Groups 19.333 47 .411
Total 20.980 49
Source: Calculated by the Researcher

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The table 1 presents the opinion of the sample respondents on the impact of social
media on availability of information. Their opinions were grouped into three categories
such as “most impact”, “more impact”, and “less impact”.
The one-way analysis of variance was employed to test whether there is any
significant different in the opinion of the sample respondents of different gender, age,
monthly income, education, and occupation groups, the results of the one-way analysis
of variance are given in the table 1. From this table, it is inferred that the calculated
values of ‘F’ were found to be less than the table values. Therefore, the null hypothesis
is accepted and it is concluded that there is no significant differences in the opinion of
the respondents of different gender, age, education, and occupation groups on
availability of information. But it was found that there is a significant difference in the
opinion of the respondents of different income groups since the calculated value of F is
greater than the table value of F.
Table 2

Impact on Entertainment
Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Between .358 2 .179 .711 .496 Ho:
Gender Groups Accepted
Within Groups 11.822 47 .252
Total 12.180 49
Between .278 2 .139 .402 .671 Ho:
Age Groups Accepted
Within Groups 16.222 47 .345
Total 16.500 49
Monthly Between 2.864 2 1.432 1.041 .361 Ho:
Groups Accepted
Income Within Groups 64.656 47 1.376
Total 67.520 49
Between 2.303 2 1.151 1.171 .319 Ho:
Education Groups Accepted
Within Groups 46.197 47 .983
Total 48.500 49
Between 2.383 2 1.191 3.011 .059 Ho:
Occupation Groups Accepted
Within Groups 18.597 47 .396
Total 20.980 49
Source: Calculated by the Researcher
The social Medias served as an entertainment avenues for the people. They provide
useful entertainment ways thereby the people enjoy a lot. The table 2 depicts the
results of one – way analysis of variance to test the null hypothesis. It is inferred that the
calculated values of ‘F’ were found to be less than the table value. Therefore, the null

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hypothesis is accepted and it is concluded that there is no significant difference in the

opinion of the respondents of different availability of information on gender, age,
monthly income, and education groups. It is there also occupation significant difference
in the Value.
Table 3

Impact on Business development

Sum of Df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Between .473 1 .473 1.941 .170 Ho:
Gender Groups Accepted
Within 11.707 48 .244
Groups
Total 12.180 49
Between .272 1 .272 .804 .374 Ho:
Age Groups Accepted
Within 16.228 48 .338
Groups
Total 16.500 49
Between .085 1 .085 .061 .807 Ho:
Monthly Groups Accepted
Income Within 67.435 48 1.405
Groups
Total 67.520 49
Between .272 1 .272 .270 .605 Ho:
Education Groups Accepted
Within 48.228 48 1.005
Groups
Total 48.500 49
Between .317 1 .317 .736 .395 Ho:
Occupation Groups Accepted
Within 20.663 48 .430
Groups
Total 20.980 49
Source: Calculated by the Researcher
The respondents of different demographic groups benefiting much from the social
media. The social media helps them in carrying out their regular business smoothly. This
table 3, shows the results of one-way analysis of variance to test the null hypothesis. The
null hypothesis is accepted and it is concluded that there is no significant difference in
the opinion of the respondents of different gender, age, monthly income, education,
and occupation groups on business development.

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Table 4

Impact on Public Awareness

Sum of df Mean F Sig.
Squares Square
Between .368 1 .368 1.493 .228 Ho:
Gender Groups Accepted
Within Groups 11.813 48 .246
Total 12.180 49
Between .521 1 .521 1.565 .217 Ho:
Age Groups Accepted
Within Groups 15.979 48 .333
Total 16.500 49
Monthly Between 1.541 1 1.541 1.121 .295 Ho:
Groups Accepted
Income Within Groups 65.979 48 1.375
Total 67.520 49
Between .521 1 .521 .521 .474 Ho:
Education Groups Accepted
Within Groups 47.979 48 1.000
Total 48.500 49
Between .480 1 .480 1.124 .294 Ho:
Occupation Groups Accepted
Within Groups 20.500 48 .427
Total 20.980 49
Source: Calculated by the Researcher
Now a day’s people get awareness on what they are unaware of so far.
Irrespective of area i.e., rural and urban people get awareness on many thing by using
social media. From the table 4, it is found that the calculated values of F are less than
the table values. Therefore nit is conclude that there no significant difference in the
opinion of the respondents of different gender, age, monthly income, education, and
occupation groups on public awareness.
Major Findings
The social media plays an important role in dissemination information among the
people in the study area. From the analysis, it is inferred that the sample respondents of
different age categories, gender, educational qualification and occupations do not
differ in their opinion on availability of information. In the case of monthly income, the
respondents of different monthly income groups differ in their opinion in this regard. As
far as the impact of social media on entertainment, business development and public
awareness are concerned; there is no any difference in the opinion of the sample
respondents regarding the impact. The following points were found in supporting to
these views.
• The information necessary to the respondents are readily available or if there is no
the required information, they can be easily accessible.
• Entertainment to a particular extent of time is must for everyone to relax form the
current works. Sometimes many useful ideas are found from the entertainment news.

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• The social media is much helpful to the business development is a matter of great
concern. Exchanging of ideas, transactions are now become very easy.
• Public awareness is a notable impact of social media. The social media is an
effective weapon in spreading awareness on the topical issues among the people.
For example, mobilizing youths in large scale in the Marina beach in Chennai was
due to usage of social media.
Conclusion
In the present century the globe is shrinking due to science and development. The
emerging world is witnessing information revolution. The social media is now blended
with every walk of our life. Cell phone is said to be sixth finger of every man. The social
media in Tamil Nadu creates many impacts on various dimensions. The impact of social
media on availing information, entertainment, business development and public
awareness are the matters of great concern. At the same time, these social media should
be used for constructive purposes not destructive purposes.
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