Abstract:
This paper looks into the benefits and drawbacks of social media usage among
students in higher education. The study intends to learn about the advantages and
disadvantages the youth face when using social media. Students were chosen at
random from the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA) Karume Campus,
Zanzibar for the study. Administrative and academic staffs, as well as student
leaders, were key informants. A questionnaire and an interview guide were used
to collect data. The Chi-square test was used to analyse the quantitative data (P
0.05). Communication, business, and academic themes emerged from qualitative
data on social media use. The findings showed that the majority of students owned
mobile phones with internet connectivity and were familiar with social media sites.
Students at the Karume Campus use mobile phones to access social media sites
for one to five hours per day, resulting in lost time. Social media use among
students in higher education institutions has both positive and negative
consequences, which include moral decay, wastage of time, unplanned financial
expenditure and addiction. Searching for academic resources, health-related
information, communication, and business transactions are all benefits of using
social media among the youth. The study recommends that students who use
mobile phones should spend time searching for academic materials or engaging in
social communication with discipline. The MNMA administration, through the Dean
of Students Office, should counsel students on the importance of using social
media responsibly.
