Social media is a new form of communication and entertainment platform that people use every day. The majority of social media users across the globe are young individuals. They benefit from using these social media platforms by developing their voices, creating or participating in social movement and entertainment (Keating & Melis, 2017). The impact of social media is felt across many countries globally. The total population of UAE is approximately 9.83 million people, and out of these, 9.72 million have access to the internet. A total of 9.73 million people in the UAE are active on social media, comprising over 18.83 million mobile connections (Vally et al., 2020). These statistics indicate that 98.98% of mobile and internet users in the UAE are active on social media (Gjylbegaj & Abdi, 2019). People subscribe to different social media platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Snapshot, Viber, Telegram, and many others. Social media influencers have a significant impact, both positive and negative, on the behavior of the users. The majority of the youths in the UAE subscribe to the YouTube platform.
Literature Review
Young people experience several impacts relating to the content on these platforms. YouTube influencers have a critical role in changing the behavior of the youths. Zimmerman et al. (2020) indicate that YouTube influencers post content that plays a significant role in shaping users' political and societal behaviors. Smit et al. (2020) investigated the effects of social media influencers on dietary behaviors among young children. The study found that YouTubers such as those who market or promote food products influence the consumption habits among children.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Most youths experience an increase in mental health problems after watching influential YouTube videos that change their behavior (Melendres, 2019). There is a positive relationship between the behavior of an individual and the type of content they watch on YouTube and Instagram (Mlodkowska, 2019). In the Netherlands, YouTube influencers have a significant impact on teenagers' behavior (Westenberg, 2016).
Problem Statement
With the high penetration of different social media platforms in the current generation, youths are at high risk of experiencing impacts associated with this technology. The is no sufficient information concerning the effects of social media on the behavior of children. Carrying out this research to determine the extent and impacts of social media, particularly YouTube, among the youths in the UAE is necessary.
Research Questions
How can YouTube influencers impact youth behavior positively?
What is the role of YouTube influencers in the development of negative behaviors among UAE youth?
How aware is the youth of the extent of behavioral influence YouTubers have on them?
Theoretical Framework
Social media is a consolation of mobile and web-based technologies that enable individuals to develop platforms that allow users to create, share, discuss, and modify the content, thus explaining what happens in YouTube (Kietzmann et al., 2011). Therefore, the social cognitive theory is appropriate for this study to discuss how youths learn different social environment behaviors. For instance, the aggressive behaviors that YouTube influencers display can affect how children behave in their respective societies. This study examined how YouTubers influence youths' behavior either directly or indirectly based on social cognitive theory.
Methodology
The study used a qualitative research design that enabled cross-sectional data collection using face-to-face interviews. The sample size for this study was 20 individuals, both male and female, aged between (10-25) who are YouTube followers from the Abu Dhabi Region. A convenient sampling technique was used to select these sample sizes because it enabled the researcher to identify individuals who are frequent users of YouTube. The researcher informed and invited these groups of participants through social media and personal messaging to participate in the research study.
When collecting the information, the researcher used semi-structured interviews to obtain qualitative data from the participants. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews constituted the primary data collection method in this study. The questions focused on the three primary areas that include behavior changes, the influence of social media, and awareness of the changes caused by social media. The data collection process started by collecting the demographic information of the participants and their activeness on YouTube. The other sets of questions focused on the behavior changes and whether they are aware of those changes among the participants. The researcher recorded and transcribed the data for analysis.
Description of Analytical Techniques
The researcher used the thematic analysis technique to analyze the data collected from the participants. The method enabled the researcher to explore and have a systematic record of patterns found in the data. The researcher also used open coding, axial coding, and selective coding to identify relevant data themes. The researcher reviewed the transcriptions two times before beginning the analysis to understand the data. After reviewing the collected data, the researcher identified quotes from the transcripts. The next step was developing a one-word code to label the previously identified quotes and group common ideas from the data. The following step was creating one-sentence summaries or themes comprising of the main ideas of the interview. The next involved creating clusters by grouping similar themes. Once clustering was completed, someone who was not part of the study audited the organized data to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Data Analysis and Interpretation
After completing a thematic analysis of the data collected, the researcher organized themes into five primary clusters. The clusters include (a) YouTube uses among the youths, (b) influence of YouTube on behavior, (c) potentially harmful YouTube practices, (d) awareness of behavioral influence by YouTubers, and (e) effects on social relationships. Each cluster is broken down between two to three themes that illustrate the participants' perspectives concerning the subject under study.
YouTube Use among the Youths
The cluster describes the amount of time the participants spend on YouTube and their feelings about the exposure. The cluster also represents how participants compare the use of social media with their peers.
The time that youth spent on YouTube varies.
Some of the participants reported that they spent more time on YouTube during weekends than on weekdays. They watch YouTube every day, and it has become part of their daily routine. The youths know when to expect their favourite new YouTube videos. The majority of the children watch these videos after school or later in the evening, but on weekends, they spend most of the time compared to weekdays. One of the participants said, "I watch YouTube several times a day, and I am addicted to it. When it is time for dinner, I find it hard to leave my room because I want to finish the video first." Another respondent said that "I watch the videos every day as soon as they are uploaded." The findings indicate that most youths are active on YouTube, especially in the evening after school and during the weekends. Another participant reported that she spends much time during weekends in YouTube because during weekdays, "I need to work on my homework first before watching YouTube videos because I might spend their entire evening forgetting to do my assignments." Other participants reported that they spent less time on weekends than school days because they are with the entire family and like having conversations rather than social media.
Many participants spent much time watching YouTube videos while others felt they had a balance.
When the participants were asked about the use of YouTube, most of them reported that their use was "unhealthy or too much." One participant stated that "I sometimes feel like spending a lot of time in YouTube than other important activities such as physical exercise." Some participants reported that they balance their time in social media and other essential daily activities and only watch YouTube videos before sleeping. One respondent mentioned that "I always prioritize in important activities before watching YouTube videos because I know it might affect my daily program. I like to watch videos in the evening when in bed."
Participants had a perception that they spent less time in YouTube than their peers.
During the interview, participants were asked to reflect on the time that their peers spend watching YouTube videos. The majority of the participants reported that their peers spend more time watching YouTube videos than them. One participant mentioned that "I know some of my friends who spend up to six hours a day in YouTube while I spend about two and a half hours."
Influence of YouTube on Behavior
The cluster illustrates the impacts of watching YouTube videos on the behavior of the participants. Participants discussed how YouTube has influenced their behavior and decision-making in society.
Some participants believe that watching YouTube videos have a negative impact on behavior.
Some of the participants are motivated to make some decisions, such as going to clubs and entertainment joins. One of the participants said that "it was through watching YouTube videos that motivated me to visit one of the entertainment joints in the neighborhood and took my first bottle of beer without permission from my parents." This individual's response shows that YouTube can negatively influence the viewer's behavior by motivating them to do some unacceptable things. Another participant reported that "I learned the use of vulgar language after watching an artist in YouTube using such words in his song." Watching some YouTube videos can have a negative influence on the behavior of the users.
Spending time in YouTube has a negative impact on the quality of sleep.
Most of the participants reported that watching YouTube videos at night has affected their sleep since they stay awake most of the time. Some participants noted that they have become addicted to YouTube videos and cannot stay comfortable if they sleep without watching. One participant said:
I have a feeling that YouTube has affected my sleep very much. In most cases, I don't sleep until 3 AM like today. When I am in school, I feel very sleepy, especially during math class. I sometimes try to stop watching to have ample time to sleep, but the videos are very addictive.
Participants believe that some YouTube videos have a positive influence on the behavior of the user.
YouTube also contributes significantly to positive behavioral change among teenagers. One of the respondents mentioned that "I have been watching videos that show the right way and what is expected from youths in Islam." Watching such videos play a critical role in changing users' behavior, especially youths, to meet society's expectations or religion. Another participant mentioned that "I have been using YouTube to learn English because I follow my English YouTubers. I am also interested in listening to what old YouTubers have to say about things in society." The responses from these participants indicate that YouTube has a significant positive and negative influence on the users' behavior.
Potentially Harmful YouTube Practices
This cluster covers the participants' perspective concerning harmful YouTube practices such as fake accounts and passive browsing.
YouTubers can use fake accounts to hide their true selves and conduct harmful activities.
Even though the participants did not report if they have engaged in digital self-harm or knew about the practice, the question led to a conversation about the use of fake YouTube to share videos. The majority of the participants noted that they had seen fictional YouTube accounts, and people share content using these fake accounts. One participant stated that "I have come across different fake accounts that people create for fun. People create these accounts to convince others that they are someone else." Another participant reported that "people use fake accounts or someone else's face as a mask because they don't want people to know their identity. Since these people are anonymous, they can post harmful content."
Some youths reported negative impacts due to passive browsing in YouTube.
When the participants were asked about the effects of passive browsing in YouTube, one of them stated that "I always scroll through the videos, and I find it very addictive." Another participant reported that "passive browsing causes distraction because one can spend much of the time scrolling through the screen." Other participants reposted that passive browsing enables them to check on what is happening without having to engage in it; for instance, one of the youths said that "I like to scroll without commenting to keep my favorite videos secret." On the other hand, some participants indicated passive browsing has no impact on them, and one participant stated that "sometimes I like to scroll and I don't feel anything. I like going through different videos that people post, and in most cases, I did not have anything to comment on."
Youth Awareness of Behavioral Influence by YouTubers
This cluster comprises themes that illustrate the youths' awareness concerning the influence of YouTubers on their behavior.
Some of the participants were aware of the influence YouTubers have on their behavior.
The majority of the participants reported that they are aware that watching some influential YouTube videos is likely to influence their behavior. One of the participants stated that "I have been learning different dancing styles by watching different YouTube videos." Other participants also indicated that they can link some of the things they do in day-to-day activities to some of the videos they have ever watched in YouTube. Watching YouTube videos have influenced the decision-making of the majority of the participants. One of the participants indicated that "she has been buying products that she sees on YouTube." YouTubers, therefore, use a variety of videos to influence the behavior of the individual who watches such content.
YouTubers cannot influence the behavior of the youths who watch their videos.
Some of the participants reported that watching YouTube content has no significant influence on the individual's behavior. One participant mentioned that "YouTube is all about entertainment and learning new things, but it cannot change an individual's behavior. watching horror movies doesn't mean that you will become a horror or vampire." Another youth stated that "when a person has bad behaviors watching YouTube videos cannot change that, the opposite is true. YouTube is for entertainment and not influencing behavioral change among the users."
Effects on Social Relationships
The cluster about the effects on social relationships includes themes that illustrate how youth perceive how YouTube affects their relationship with other people in society.
YouTube could have positive and negative impacts on social relationships.
All the participants admitted that in one way or another, YouTube had enabled them to stay connected with their peers and YouTubers, and they will continue to use it to enhance the connection. One of the participants mentioned that "YouTube strengthens the relationship because it allows me to comment and stay connected with my friends and my favourite YouTubers." A different participant reported that:
Sometimes my parents complain that I am spending a lot of time in YouTube than another family member. The habit is affecting my relationship with my siblings because I don't have time to engage in activities such as playing and teaching them household chores such as cooking. Some of the participants also reported that YouTube has a negative impact on the relationship between friends. For instance, participants shared that "if you make comments which oppose the once for your friends, they are likely to become upset with you.
Interacting with friends and YouTubers feels rewarding.
The participants noted that engaging in YouTube interactions that include commenting and getting likes from friends was very rewarding. Some youths indicated that the primary reason to have YouTube accounts was to have followers and ensure that their number increases. One participant reported that "I like when I post something in YouTube and I feel excited when I see the number of people liking and commenting is increasing." The majority of the participants felt that YouTube plays a vital role in enabling people to exchange positive feedback and relate with their friends.
Implications of Findings
The findings play a critical role in informing decisions used to ensure that social media platforms, including YouTube, post relevant information acceptable in society. The results indicate that most youths in the UAE watch YouTube videos every day. The majority of them watch videos in the evening after school and during weekends. The video content in YouTube has a significant impact on the behavior of teenagers. Some participants reported that watching YouTube videos has influenced positive change while others indicated an adverse change in their actions. Regulating the type of videos posted on the platform is essential to ensure positive behavior among teenagers. Some participants are aware, while others are not concerning the extent that YouTubers influence their behaviors. Raising awareness among the youths concerning the impact of YouTube content on their behavior should be considered to ensure that all YouTube users know the side effects of the content they are watching. Spending most of the time in YouTube can affect the social relationship between individuals. The participant reported that using YouTube can enhance or affect the relationship between individuals. Using social medial appropriately is essential to ensure that people can connect well and have good relationships.
Future Research
After understanding the significant impact of YouTube on teenagers' behavior, future research should determine the type of content that causes the most influence on youths' behavior.
In the current generation, social media forms the primary means of communication and entertainment across the world. The majority of the users are youths, and these social media platforms significantly impact their behavior. YouTube is becoming popular among young people worldwide because they can share and watch videos like never before. Understanding the impact of social media among the youths in the UAE is essential. It allows the establishment of effective policies to address behavioral change associated with watching influential YouTube videos. The quantitative research design was appropriate for the study. It enabled the researcher to collect cross-sectional data using face-to-face interviews and organized themes into five primary clusters. The clusters include (a) YouTube uses among the youths, (b) influence of YouTube on behavior, (c) potentially harmful YouTube practices, (d) awareness of behavioral influence by YouTubers, and (e) effects on social relationships. The findings indicate that majority of the youths in the UAE watch YouTube videos every day, influencing their decision-making and general behavior. The results are essential in regulating the YouTube content and raising awareness among the youths about social media's impacts on their behavior and well-being.
References
Gjylbegaj, V., & Abdi, H. M. (2019). The effects of social media on family communication in the UAE. Media Watch, 10(2) , 387-397.
Keating, A., & Melis, G. (2017). Social media and youth political engagement: Preaching to the converted or providing a new voice for youth? The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 19(4) , 877-894.
Kietzmann, J. H., Hermkens, K., McCarthy, I. P., & Silvestre, B. S. (2011). Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media. Business horizons, 54(3) , 241-251.
Melendres, M. (2019). YouTubers Influence of Young People. Retrieved March 9, 2021, from https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=engl_176
Młodkowska, B. (2019). Influencers on Instagram and YouTube and Their Impact on Consumer behavior. Journal of Marketing and Consumer behavior in Emerging Markets, 8(1) , 4-13.
Park, J., & Chun, J. (2020). How does watching YouTube fashion content impact perception of appearance: a phenomenological study of Korean women in Generation Z. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 7(1) , 1-10.
Smit, C. R., Buijs, L., van Woudenberg, T. J., Bevelander, K. E., & Buijzen, M. (2020). The impact of social media influencers on children’s dietary behaviors. Frontiers in psychology, 10 , 2975.
Vally, Z., Laconi, S., & Kaliszewska-Czeremska, K. (2020). Problematic internet use, psychopathology, defense mechanisms, and coping strategies: A cross-sectional study from the United Arab Emirates. Psychiatric Quarterly, 91(2) , 587-602.
Westenberg, W. (2016). The influence of YouTubers on teenagers. University of Twente , 1-35.
Zimmermann, D., Noll, C., Gräßer, L., Hugger, K. U., Braun, L. M., Nowak, T., & Kaspar, K. (2020). Influencers on YouTube: a quantitative study on young people’s use and perception of videos about political and societal topics. Current Psychology , 1-17.
