CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction- Social Networking Sites few years back, usage of social networking sites became popular around the world. Social networking sites are also known as social networking website.
Social networking sites (SNSs) are increasingly attracting the attention of academic and industry researchers’ fascinated by their affordances and reach. Social networking sites are web-based service that building an online community of people that share same interest, or activities and explore others people interest. Social network sites (SNSs) such as FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, CYWORLD, and BEBO have attracted millions of users, many of whom have integrated these sites into their practices. As of this writing, there are hundreds of social networking sites, with various technological affordances, supporting a wide range of interests and practice while their key technological features are fairly consistent, the cultures that emerge around SNSs are varied. Most site support the maintenance of preexisting social networks, but others help strangers connect based on shared interests, political views, or activities. Some sites cater to diverse audiences, while others attract people based on common language or shared racial, sexual, religious, or nationality-based identities. Sites also vary in the extent to which they incorporate new information and communication tools, such as mobile connectivity, blogging and photo/ video-sharing. Besides that, a social networking site is just a means for building these social networks. These sites are made up of some web representation for each network member (a profile) a list of their links or interests, and some kind of kook or gimmick to set that particular site apart from the crowd. A lot of social networking sites start to appear from year 1997 to 2001 that supporting various combinations of profiles. For an example ASIANAVENUE, BLACKPLANET and MIGENTE are the sites that allowed users to create.
This has made communication between the strangers easier than ever. Chatting is one of the more popular activities on the Internet- people can talk to anyone across the world Introduction of social online networking sites has facilitated communication. These are web-sites where users can create a profile and connect that profile to others to form an explicit personal network. They are web-based services that allow individuals to
(1) Construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system
(2) Articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection and
(3) View and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system. The nature and nomenclature of these connections may vary from site to site.

Through social networking, people can use networks of online friends and group memberships to keep in touch with current friends, reconnect with old
Friends or create real-life friendships through similar interests or groups. Be Sides establishing important social relationships, social networking members can share their interests with other likeminded members by joining groups and forums.
Some networking can also help member’s find a job or establish Business contacts. Most social networking websites also offer additional features. In addition to blogs and forums, members can express themselves by designing their profile page to reflect their personality.
The most popular extra Features include music and video sections. The video section can include everything from member generated videos from hundreds of subjects to TV clips and movie trailers (YouTube).
Social networking sites have facilitated communication. Members of such sites can easily form groups (called the communities) and share their opinions among themselves through discussion threads, forums and polls. Though these sites serves good in many ways, it has its negative effects too such as cybercrimes which has become a privacy threat to the people worldwide.
Although advantageous in many ways by building new relationship and re-connecting with lost or old contacts, it also brought up some behavioral changes among the youth, not only the behavioral changes but also their social behavior and approaches. It has also ended up as a nightmare for a few people.

Background of the Study
Every person has his or her own habitual activities. But sometimes, without them noticing, the usual habits become addictions. Addiction is any activity continuously done by an individual without control. An addict or a person addicted to something will not end his day without satisfying his addiction. They will do whatever it takes to satisfy that need.

It’s really difficult to stop addiction. Once you already have that one thing you’re addicted to, it’s hard to ignore the need, much more, and stopping causes adverse effects. For example, a man addicted to cigarette smoking cannot actually stop in an instant for the withdrawal syndrome is so hard to deal with. There are many kinds of addiction but in this study, the focus will be on those people addicted to social networking sites. According to (Griffiths: 2005, 191-197), A behavioral addiction such as social networking sites addiction may thus be seen from a bio psychosocial perspective. Just like substance-related addictions, social networking sites addiction incorporates the experience of the ‘classic’ addiction symptoms, namely mood modification (i.e., behavioral, cognitive, and emotional preoccupation with the SNS usage), tolerance (i.e., every increasing use of SNSs overtime), withdrawal symptoms (i.e., experiencing unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms when SNS use is restricted or stopped), conflict (i.e. Interpersonal and intra psychic problems ensue because on SNS usage), and relapse (i.e., addicts quickly revert back in their excessive SNS usage after an abstinence period). Also, according to (Bradford: 2009, 85-87), it may be plausible to speak specifically of ‘Facebook Addiction Disorder’ (or more generally SNS Addiction Disorder’) because addiction criteria, such as neglect of personal life, mental