INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS OF ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

One of the breakthroughs in information and communication technology today was the invention of the new media which have facilitated the creation of the different platforms for social interaction. The new media came with seamless and boundless potentials in terms of interrelationships, interactions, information generation and dissemination. Ignorance in terms of the software, hardware and usage is the only limitation to harnessing the potential of the new media. The question therefore is, will face to face communication ultimately diminish because of these new social technologies? Are social media, as a product of the new media actually harming people's ability to interact competently in an offline setting? The study, using the survey method of research, examined the influence of social, media on the social interaction of ABSU students. It was found that although social media influences the social interaction of students, it is not the only factor. Other factors include environment, self-esteem, exposure to the television, peer group etc. The researcher therefore, recommends that students should engage in proper time management in such a way that no aspect of their lives will be suffering due to little or no time given to it.