46% Youth in India Access Social Media Daily, HT-MaRS Youth Survey 2013
August 19, 2013 |
Pankaj Sharma
Users from the metros and non-metro towns and cities are equally net savvy and social media freaks as their metropolis counterparts.
According to a fresh HT-MaRS Youth Survey 2013, 46% youth in India log onto the networking sites daily. With cheapest mobile phones (Rs. 2000 onwards) in the market allowing users to access social media websites, this trend is not surprising.
However, you may be surprised to know that users from the metros and non-metro towns and cities are equally net savvy and social media freaks as their metropolis counterparts. According to the survey, Pune tops the list with 59% young social media users followed by Delhi with 52%. Even Indore and Ranchi aren’t behind much with a score of 48.6% and 40% respectively. What the report reveals is; even the small cities in India graduated from their three basic requirements –
Roti,
Kapda and
Makaan (food, clothes and shelter). They now need Internet and social media as well. Had
Deewar (famous 1975 bollywood movie) been made in 2013, the famous dialogue, “
mere pas maa hai”, would have been, “
mere pas media hai…social media”. Jokes apart, social media has gained huge popularity in last few years, especially among the youth. And the reason is simple, it’s powerful and a great fun at the same time. It brings the world at your disposal. Social networking has allowed people to connect with a larger world. From news and views to pictures and even mundane updates about their daily life, people share everything on the social networking sites. Like me, almost every active social media user found his old friends or peers, whom they possibly hadn’t seen for ages. However, the use of social media is growing for several reasons, especially because of its massive business potential. Companies are using
social media for web marketing and creating a brand value. Students and teenagers are using it for fun. Politicians are using it to woo the voters. Also, there is a frustrated class of people who use social media to express their frustration. Social media has provided people with a platform to voice out their opinion, share their excitements and grievances, and support or oppose a policy or proposal. If your issue or problem connects with masses, suddenly you get thousands of online supporters.A few months back, a lady in Chennai was denied
Aadhaar card photo because she was not wearing
dupatta. Within minutes of her tweeting the issue,
#Dupatta and
#Aadhaarcard were trending on Twitter. Thousands of tweeters lent their support to her on the issue. This wave of online protest forced the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to come with the statement that there was no dress code for the Aadhaar photograph. The social media has got power, influence and reach but it also comes with its share of disadvantages. It’s the responsibility of users to use it only for constructive purposes.
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