Internet Usage among Adolescents: A Study of Its Benefits and Potential Negative Effects in Kishtwar District, Jammu Division

Today, the internet plays a huge role in the daily routines of the young. Digital devices have become a part of our everyday lives. Teenagers now use the internet for many different purposes. They use it for studying, doing school work, learning new things, finding information about different subjects, and knowing more about career options. They also use the internet to communicate with their friends and family members. In many ways, the internet has made learning easier because students can find a large amount of information within a short time. At the same time, too much use of the internet can create some problems for teenagers. Spending many hours on digital devices may affect their studies, sleep, physical activities, and relationships with people around them. Some teenagers may spend more time online and give less time to outdoor activities or face-to-face communication with family and friends.. Therefore, the use of the internet can be beneficial for teenagers when used properly, however, excessive or uncontrolled use can have negative effects on their everyday life. Teenagers may have different problems while using the internet. These can include cyberbullying, exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, and distraction from social media, gaming or other online activities. Therefore it is important for young people to use the internet in a moderate way. They should be able to enjoy the advantages of the internet without the adverse effects on their studies, health, daily activities and relationships. The present study is based on the internet usage trends of school going adolescents in Kishtwar District of Jammu Division. It looks into the daily challenges of youth as a consequence of overuse or unsupervised surfing as well as the positive aspects of the web for them. The sample consists of 500 adolescent students of the age group of 12-18 years, randomly selected from different educational institutions of the district. The sample consisted of 200 participants from government schools and 300 participants from private schools to provide a balanced perspective and to capture a broad demographic cross-section of the local student population. The main objective of the present study is to identify the main motivations for Internet use among adolescents, the time they spend using the Internet and the effects of these online habits on their daily lives and general well-being. The study provides a clear picture of local digital behaviour by looking into the benefits (skill development, educational support) and disadvantages (loss of sleep, less physical activity) of digital behaviour. The findings will provide practical insight to parents, teachers, educators and local authorities on how young people use technology. This work aims to enable actionable initiatives that lead students to develop healthy and productive digital habits.