Connected but Alone The Paradox of Social Networking Sites and the Rise of Loneliness

The study focuses on the relationship between social networks and feelings of social isolation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Adopting a quantitative approach, data were collected from 30 students. The findings reveal that most students demonstrate an above-average use of social networking platforms, with a mean score of 3.68, and many expressed discomfort when discontinuing their use. Regarding loneliness, respondents reported a moderate level with a mean of 3.60, primarily attributed to difficulties in forming friendships and challenges in being understood by others. Furthermore, statistical analysis showed no significant gender differences, as the p-value (0.145) was greater than 0.05, suggesting that gender does not play a major role in this association.