Assessing the Effects of Social Media on the Socialization of Youths: A Case Study of Selected Schools in Mtendere, Munali Constituency, Lusaka

Social media is increasingly embedded in the everyday communication of young adults, yet its effects on socialization in Zambia remain insufficiently documented. This study assessed the social media platforms most commonly used by young adults in Lusaka, the influence of social media content and user-generated content, and the challenges associated with high levels of engagement. The study was originally designed as a mixed-method case study. Forty-five young adults were targeted, and 40 completed questionnaires were retained for analysis; respondents were drawn from ten Lusaka communities using a stratified random approach. Quantitative data were summarized in MS Excel using frequencies and percentages. Although the original field plan referred to interviews, no separate interview sample or coded qualitative dataset is reported; therefore, the revised findings rely on the documented questionnaire results. WhatsApp was the most commonly reported platform (29%), followed by Facebook (24%) and YouTube (19%). Forty-five percent of respondents perceived social media's effect on their social lives as positive, 30% as negative, and 25% as neutral. Daily use was less than one hour for 37% of respondents, 1–4 hours for 38%, 5–10 hours for 20%, and more than 10 hours for 5%. The findings indicate mixed social outcomes and support digital literacy, balanced use, and more purposeful educational and constructive use of social media.