Impact of social media use on identity : a case study

Abstract EN

This study assesses the use of social networking sites by Iraqi youth and its impact on their identity.

A quantitative approach was employed first, using a survey questions distributed to a sample of students registered in four Iraqi universities to explore the social media uses depth and characteristics.

Then, a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with a sample of Iraqi faculties, was able to determine the impact that could social media have on the sample’ identity.

Results showed that social media have been used extensively, mainly the Facebook, what’s App.

and Twitter.

The mentioned social networks have served as a vehicle of news and entertainment.

Faculties perceived social media as a threat to the original identity.

The danger lies in their distance from the initial social and religious values.

The sample evocated also psychological alienation as well as destructive ideas such as discrimination, hatred and intolerance.

To overcome the negative aspects of social media on the sample’s original identity, the respondents proposed several solutions such as enhancing the intelligentsia to raise the awareness of misuse of social networks and develop a number of mechanisms to enhance the use of the Arabic language.