Abstract
This research aims to investigate the impact of mobile phones in the lives of youths of mountainous rural areas of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). A total of 272 (133 male and 139 female) respondents of ages between 16 and 25 years participated in this study. To analyze the demographic data such as age, gender, district, the descriptive statistics (mean, SD and percentage) and inferential statistics such as independent sample t-test were used. The regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between independent and dependent variables such as mobile phone features (M = 3.66, SD = 1.15); a mobile phone as a tool for socio-economic impact (M = 3.80, SD = 1.20); as a fashion symbol (M = 1.29, SD = 0.11) and a tool for safety (M = 3.91, SD = 1.06). The findings show that 97% (M = 1.026 SD = 0.159) of youths from GB own a mobile phone (47% male and 48% female). The findings also verify that a mobile phone is beneficial to its users in the fields of economic, education, safety, and security. However, using a mobile phone as status symbol could have a negative impact on the lives of youths. This study recommends that the government should develop effective and efficient policy for mobile phone usage and users should also be aware of the blessings and risks associated with using a mobile phone in their lives.
Highlights
In this global village, mobile phone technologies have brought about a revolution in the lives of people, especially the young people belonging to rural mountainous areas of developing countries such as Pakistan
This study focuses on the access and use of mobile phones by the youth of the rural mountainous area in their daily lives, such as mobile phone features, mobile phones as a tool for socio-economic impact, as a fashion symbol and a tool for safety
This study aimed to explore access to and use of mobile phones by the youth of mountainous rural areas of GB and their impact on their lives
Summary
Mobile phone technologies have brought about a revolution in the lives of people, especially the young people belonging to rural mountainous areas of developing countries such as Pakistan. Mobile phones provide many key features, such as communication in real-time, access to information on an anytime anywhere basis, and portability [1,2]. These technologies have a profound impact on the way users play a vital role in society [3,4]. Mobile phones have both positive and negative impacts in the lives of young people of GB They have dramatically changed the approaches for communication, and youths have been found to interact in a different manner as compared to earlier ways of interacting [5]. Mobile phone technology as a powerful gadget that has greatly impacted the lifestyle of youths who use this technology for multiple purposes, such as for learning, social networking, and entertainment, because it has become
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