USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE TIME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING

Abstract

Social media was introduced back in 2000’s. At that time, nobody really imagined that social media
would play a prominent part in their lives. It was only after the introduction of smart phones in 2005
that the app culture was created. Through this app culture social media sites viz Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram found their way in to the personal space of people. Everything suddenly became so mobile,
interactive, connected because of these apps. The present study is aimed to explore the usage of social
media at the time of social distancing. The world is currently facing global health crisis in the form of
covid-19. In this paper we will discuss the uses and gratifications of social Media and building of
different networked societies at the time of social distancing observed in India due to outbreak of
covid-19. The paper explores the theoretical frameworks in context to the present pandemic outbreak.