LIVING IN NETWORK: AN ANALYSIS OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The work sought to analyze and discuss, from a predominantly quantitative approach, the repercussion caused by the use of social media in the life of students of a University located in the city of Araraquara (SP). After the bibliographic review on the subject, a field research was carried out with students who use social media such as Facebook, Twiter and Instagram, trying to identify the perceptions of users about benefits and damages due to the use. The study counted on the participation of 140 students of the Psychology course, 92 participants of the Biology course and 51 participants of the course of Computer Engineering. The students answered a questionnaire on the subject. The study found that most (95.76%) of the participants use social networks often and say that this does not lead to significant changes or implications in their lives. They present as benefits the use in order to reduce the physical distance, improving their interaction and communication, ease in the exchange and obtaining of information, mainly in the acquisition of knowledge, education and entertainment. As for the damages caused, they indicate excessive exposure of personal issues in daily life, dependence on the use of the Internet in carrying out its activities and alienation from concrete situations.