Emotional Impact of Social Media Buttons “Like, Share, and Comment” Among Somali Youth

Social media reaction buttons have become the center of youth’s social debate, and Somali youth have developed an obsession with social media reaction buttons. Young individuals get self-esteem from accomplishing social mediammilestones, and conversely, they feel anxious when they don’t obtain a “Like, Share, or Comment.” This survey comes at a time when social media has sparked online arguments between youth and created conflict and violence in the capital city of Mogadishu.Purpose: The utilization of social media reaction buttons is undergoing a significant transformation. The objective of this study is to assess the emotional effects of social media buttons “Like, Share, and Comment” on Somali youth. The study also examines the impact of reaction buttons on the promotion of group unity, the pursuit of romantic connections, and the experience of both positive emotions and feelings of unease.Methodology: We gathered data utilizing the quantitative approach. The study focused on 1,000 social media users who were given a questionnaire to complete on their own. Out of the 1,000 individuals, 856 responded, resulting in a response rate of 86%. Both men and women were given equal opportunities to participate, ensuring a balanced representation of gender among the responses. The data analysis employed a descriptive methodology.Findings: The findings revealed that youth use reaction buttons to pursue romantic relationships, foster clan solidarity to gain happiness, and avoid anxiety.Research limitations: This research focused solely on the emotional impact of social media buttons among Somali youth. Thus, the results might not be applicable to other countries.Originality/value: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study sheds light on the emotional impact of social media buttons among Somali youth