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Abstract
In the modern era of globalization, modes of communication are transforming our cultures dynamically. The research aimed to highlight the trends regarding sharing posts on one of the most popular social networking sites, i.e., Facebook, among youth. The idea behind conducting this research was to find out the average probability of University students who had access to SNS, especially facebook, who consider them authentic sources of information, the rationale behind their posts, information, or misinformation contributed through Facebook on ethnicities and religion. The research was descriptive. The data was collected through an open-ended questionnaire from 135 students of four leading universities from twin cities over one month. The research can help us understand whether this mode of learning has effectively played a mentoring role for our youth or is manipulated by insufficient knowledge of religious texts, resultantly promoting intersect harmony or conflict
Key Words:
SNS, Facebook, Religious Posts, Intersect Harmony, An Image of Islam, Standard Text
Introduction
"Social network sites", SNS are "web-based services" through these "services," individuals assemble an open or personal profile where they can communicate with others (Boyd and Ellison 2007). Globally, online networking is one of the best communication media and is rapidly turning into the essential approach to launching brands, advertising the product, and mobilizing educational, political, and religious institutes. These networking sites (SNSs) have a lot of significance in our lives, but it is also risky when people misuse these sites. Now people prefer to communicate and socialize through these sites. Social networking sites are the first priority to communicate with the outer world, and the youth is the large group that is addicted to these modes of communication (Latif and Dinar, 2015). It has been documented that in Pakistan, more than 25 million individuals have access to the internet through desktops, mobile phones, and other mediums
Facebook aims to facilitate youth to connect virtually with their friends and family members. It became accessible to high school students in 2005 and to commercial organizations in 2006 (Foregger, 2008). Until today, many graduates in universities have signed up for a Facebook account. It helps students to establish strong ties with old friends and with family members who live across the globe. This medium of communication is also used to spread out the Islamic teachings by sharing, following, and practicing these posts. Anthropologists have emphasized on the importance of social media that how much internet platforms impact our lifestyles construct "imagined communities" or ethical communities (Ku Leuven 2012). As new modes of communication are changing, so it is challenging for students to utilize these effectively and made ties across the globe.
The study has focused on the means and motives behind material shared on Facebook, especially religious posts, and how these posts make people believe and follow them by sharing them on their timelines and unofficial religious pages without feeling any religious obligation to seek confirmation through standard text. Not only this, but we were trying to know whether these posts had been verified on the standard text before sharing them with any open religious or social group.
Review of Literature
Facebook is neither a bad or good nor a normal or abnormal social site, but it is used to promote individuals' extreme socio-religious thoughts, especially youth. The age group often shares religious posts, sectarian thoughts, and religious and ethnic philosophies. Most of them consider that "law enforcement agencies" and "parents" are unaware of their activities and the consequences of excessive and irresponsible usage of Facebook, so they spend much time on Facebook without any supervision (COPS, 2014).
According to research findings, there are 64 religious outfits banned by the interior ministry, but those openly distributing their preaching and promoting sectarian hatred in Pakistan. It has been revealed that these banned outfits regulate pages, groups, and user profiles. These networks are a blend of all the sects. The terrorist network operating in Pakistan extended through Punjab to KPK, Baluchistan, and Sindh. In the investigation, Facebook found such pages, groups, and user profiles that publicly 'liked' banned outfits (DAWN, 2017).
People share content to learn, inform & influence, help, show identity, connect to participate, and lend support (Ayres, 2017). Facebook users share, follow and practice posts as they want to identify themselves with the social world and they want to influence the world with their thoughts. Social groups are not just open. They are secret, public, and private, which can be customized as per the administrator's need. Scholars publicized that "e-commerce websites" have a high degree of trust so that people show readiness to share. People share these posts to pass on knowledge, but without any source of verification, e.g., an adviser, priest, or even without the consultation of a magazine or newspaper.
Materials and Methods
The study was descriptive. An open-ended
questionnaire based on twenty-four questions was designed to gather data from 150 respondents. In turn, 135 responses were sought over one month. The complete data was filtered data was reduced to 116 graduates from universities of twin cities. Since the study was focused on youth, university students were the targeted group. Data presentation is made in frequency and percentages in the next section. The results are explained in light of the response outcomes of the sampled youth and hence cannot be induced to the entire population.
Results and Discussion
Facebook can be currently seen as a top-ranked social media site among the other social networking mediums. It is documented that more than 80% of internet users have visited social media sites, and 96.5% own a Facebook account (MCMC, 2016). From our sample, 96% of university graduates have Facebook accounts, and 84% of respondents own a single account in their name. 67.2 % believed that they spend one to four hours on Facebook. An Internet user spends around four hours per day on social media sites.
The display picture is also a point of significance on FB. A profile picture holds different meanings and attempts to convey some message too. Therefore, people make different choices to have a unique and display picture that defines them. It may show their ethnicity, their religious and socio-political affiliation and is also a clue to depict one's personality. Hence, understanding people's behavior on social media profiles could provide exciting insights into their personalities (arxiv, 2017). The response from the study shows that 96% of graduates own facebook accounts with their own names and display picture.
Table 1. Accuracy of Posts
| Categories width="134" valign="top">width="134"> Frequency width="134">Percent | > Valid width="134" valign="top">Yes width="134">59 width="134">50.9 | > No width="134">48 width="134">41.4 | > Neutral width="134">4 width="134">3.4 | > Total width="134">111 width="134">95.7 | > Missing width="134" valign="top">System width="134">5 width="134">4.3 | > Total width="134">116 width="134">100.0 | |
| Categories width="24%" valign="top">width="29%"> Frequency width="21%">Percent | > Valid width="24%" valign="top">Yes width="29%">45 width="21%">38.8 | > No width="29%">61 width="21%">52.6 | > Total width="29%">106 width="21%">91.4 | > Total width="29%">116 width="21%">100.0 | |||
| Categories width="24%" valign="top">width="30%"> Frequency width="20%">Percent | > width="24%" valign="top"> Yes width="30%">30 width="20%">25.9 | > No width="30%">79 width="20%">68.1 | > Neutral width="30%">1 width="20%">.9 | > Total width="30%">110 width="20%">94.8 | > Missing width="24%" valign="top">System width="30%">6 width="20%">5.2 | > Total width="30%">116 width="20%">100.0 | |
| Categories width="24%" valign="top">width="29%"> Frequency width="21%">Percent | > Valid width="24%" valign="top">Yes width="29%">49 width="21%">39.0 | > No width="29%">57 width="21%">52.6 | > Total width="29%">106 width="21%">91.4 | > Missing width="24%" valign="top">System width="29%">10 width="21%">8.6 | > Total width="29%">116 width="21%">100.0 | |
| Categories width="132" valign="top">width="150"> Frequency width="121">Percent | > Valid width="132" valign="top">1 to 3 width="150">78 width="121">67.2 | > 4 to 6 width="150">4 width="121">3.4 | > Logged in all-day width="150">12 width="121">10.3 | > Total width="150">116 width="121">100.0 | |