• Dr. Ritu Madhan
• Ms. Sanobar Malandkar
• Ms. Simran Maladkar
• Ms. Irika Goyal
• Ms. Rashida Ghadiyali

Nowadays, social media is becoming the most popular medium for showcasing creativity and providing information in the form of photos, videos, vlogs and blogs. YouTube, an American online video sharing and social media platform has earned its place as the 2nd largest search engine next to Google, as it is easy to create content and simple to use. It is one of the best ways to communicate to a wide audience, whether an individual is promoting programs or providing information to students. There are more than 37 million YouTube channels existing on the platform and people upload more than 100 hours of video per minute on YouTube. YouTube may be available free of cost, but the information available can be misleading and can cause physical, emotional and mental health issues. Hence, this study aims to understand the perception, usage pattern, and its impact on individuals. The data for the study was collected through a survey method with the use of a convenience sampling method. One hundred and thirty participants of varied age groups voluntarily took part in the study. The survey consisted of fifteen questions of which fourteen were close ended while one was open ended. The collected data was analysed by dividing the participants into age and gender categories. Some of the key findings include that almost all the participants (99%) watch and enjoy YouTube. More than 50% of participants watch YouTube for entertainment, to learn something new, to relax or de-stress and to get motivated. Around 80% of participants subscribe to YouTube channels out of which most of them are based on their interest, while a little more than 15% of the participants have their own channels related to educational purpose, information transfer and for professional purposes. 4% of participants watch YouTube for more than 16 hours on a weekly basis. Almost half the participants think that YouTube is a good source of income and can be pursued as a career. Due to covid, the time pattern of watching YouTube has increased by 70% out of which 50% watch it more for entertainment purposes. Other than YouTube, 80% of participants surf Instagram regularly. Changes recommended by the participants include removal of advertisements and inappropriate content. When it comes to kids accessing the site, there are many parents concerned about the negative effects of YouTube on youth. Meanwhile, it’s an essential part of classrooms - both virtual and in-person- around the world. According to data, people check their phone more than 150 times a day. These changing usage patterns among all age groups is indeed a cause for concern. Humans are losing touch with fellow humans and in-depth studies are needed to ascertain the long-term impact of excessive usage. Awareness should also be created amongst all age groups especially in the youth to avoid unfavourable consequences.

YouTube, awareness, perception, channels

"Perceptions And Usage Pattern Of YouTube: An Influential Tool", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 6, page no.i275-i289, June-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2206835.pdf

"Perceptions And Usage Pattern Of YouTube: An Influential Tool", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 6, page no. ppi275-i289, June-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2206835.pdf