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Social networking sites form a distinct modern pattern of social communication as well as a social medium that has imposed itself in social life. Today, social networking sites have become among the institutions that have assumed an important role in educating the young, a role parallel to that of the family and educational institutions that care for youths in terms of developing their energies, abilities, and talents. Children spend on these sites probably as much time as that they spend with their families or at the educational institutions. This has reduced the time these young people spend with close real life friends or even the time they practice their favorite sport. At present, they tend to get moreenjoyment out of the time they spend on these sites than with their virtualfriends. Because of the important role that these sites have come to play in social life, this study, entitled "Social Networking Sites and their Impact on Social Relations", has been undertaken to respond to some of the main issues involved in this field. The issues includesuch questions as: What are the motives behind participation in social networking sites? Does participation in these sites affect actual social relations? Whatare the most important issues that students discuss on these sites? Does participation in these sites reduce the effectiveness of people's actual contributions in social life? The researcher has used the case-study approach which is considered tobe one of the means used to study the conditions and practices of institutions and organizations and throw light on them by concentrating on one or more. In the context of the case-study approach, the researcher has used the survey method by means of a sample from Ajman University of Science & Technology, Fujairah Campus. The survey method is considered to beone of the most suitable scientific methods for the study, as it aims to record and analyze phenomena in their current status after collecting and adapting sufficient data about them. The study has reached a number of results and recommendations, including the following. - The study has found that the use of Facebook came in first position (77.2 %), followed by Twitter in second place (69.5 %) - The study showed that the device most commonly used for communication is the mobile phone (42.1 %). - The study demonstrated that the means most commonly used by respondents to communicate with their friends via networking sites is the text chat (94.4 %) - The study revealed that the most important motives for participation in the social networking sites include the following: to get to know other cultures and to make new friends (48.8 %), the confidentiality in raising issues without disclosing the personal identity (46.6 %), reinforcing self-confidence and free expression of opinion (45.2 %). - The study indicated that the activities that respondents considered to suffer from the greatest weakness include participation in their favorite sport (66.5 %), followed by visits by family members and relatives (61.4 %), and finally interaction with the social environment (57.9 %). Recommendations: - Creation of serious social networking sites that allow young people to communicate and activate their creative potentials in all areas: social, intellectual, and practical.- Developing social networking sites from the current stage of chat and amusement to the stage of effective, responsible, and constructive communication that contributes to the development of citizens and countries. - Utilization of these sites (being the basic channel of communication for most youths) to direct a new cultural discourse different from the traditional discourse that has disaffected the young generation.
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