Social Media as A Change Agent, and Its Impact on Youth

Abstract

The major objective of this study is to investigate the social changes caused by social media use, exploring the impact of social media on youth. In this quantitative study, 104 students of the University of Sargodha were selected through convenience sampling technique with a questionnaire as the data collection tool. Pearson's correlation test was applied using SPSS software and the results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between social media use and its perceived effectiveness as a change agent. A statistically significant relationship was revealed (r = .207, p = .035). Regression analysis further highlighted that 4.3% of the variance in perceived effectiveness of social media as a change agent (SMCA) was explained by social media use (R2 = 0.043) with a standardized beta coefficient of 0.207 (p = .035), indicating a 0.207 increase in SMCA for every one-unit increase in social media use. These findings highlight the important role of social media in shaping youth perceptions. This study focuses on influencing youth perspectives and highlights the importance of leveraging social media to promote social change.