Perceptions of Social Media Use and Family values in the Northern Region of Ghana

Social media is fast replacing the traditional methods of communication and shaping how people (including family members) interact in the Ghanaian society where the use of smartphone has reached critical mass. The study employed Focus Group Discussions to explore the influence of social media use on family values in Northern region of Ghana where social media is perceived to be threatening family values and social relations of family members. A total of 47 participants took part in focus group discussions from which this paper on perception of social media use is carved out. The respondents were categorised as family heads, mothers and Generation Y (youth). Six focus group discussions were held with two group discussions for each category (family heads, mothers and Generation Y). Based on the thematic analysis, 12 themes (including perception of social media use) were extracted from the focus group discussions. The findings indicate that the use of social media in family communication has the attributes of rich media. The study also showed social media is a double-edged sword and can be used for good or bad purpose. It was also revealed that that though the uses of social media have reduced visits among family members, it has not negatively affected their family values.