Online Participation and Self-presentation in Social Networking Sites: A Study of Selective Users of India

Abstract

The study explores users’ online presentation and participation in social networking sites (SNSs). The major purpose is to find out as to how people participate in online media and ensure their presence in the context of ‘we’ and ‘they’ in SNSs. By adopting purposive sampling method, a total of 150 respondents have been selected in the age group of 15–22 and data has been collected by using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. In this study, attempts have also been made to assess as to how people consider their presence in different online groups and SNSs. In order to measure online users’ participation in SNSs, their motivation to use SNSs and their tendency to present themselves in SNSs, different categories, emerged from the research, have been deliberated upon. Questions concerning reasons for online users to participate in defined online activities and ensure their presence by presenting themselves in different groups have also been considered.