لخّصلي

The subject of the study acquires special importance at the present time in light of the importance of studying the values and trends adopted by the Omani child through following social networking sites and the impact of this on the Arab identity in general and the Omani identity in particular. The importance of studying the impact of these sites increases as the child chooses the sites voluntarily. Which makes the selection factor essentially reflect a kind of influence. The researcher said: The childhood stage is considered an age cycle upon which other stages of development in the future depend, during which the foundations upon which the child’s personality is built are laid and he is provided with values and trends that determine the nature of his behavior in the prime of his life. The late childhood stage is considered to be (11-18) years of age. The important age stages in which the impact of the various contents the child is exposed to during his early stages of formation becomes clear in shaping his future personality and the way it interacts with society with its values and culture. Therefore, studying childhood is part of paying attention to both the present and the future. The study also aims to identify the effect of exposure to social networking sites, with their values, contents, and behaviors, in shaping the child’s attitudes in late childhood when he interacts with various events and situations in real life. General results: The study showed that half of the study sample described the skill of using the World Wide Web “the Internet” at the advanced level, at a rate of (50.8%), followed by the intermediate level, at a rate of (36%), and the beginner level, at a rate of (13.2%). This is attributed to the high and advanced level that school students have reached. In the Sultanate, in the use of the World Wide Web (the Internet), students from the first grades are taught to use the World Wide Web. Students are also assigned to search for some information via the Internet and prepare short research and study reports as additional activities. Academic degrees are awarded to those who provide them, whether through books or Through the World Wide Web (the Internet), most people rely on the Internet because it provides abundant information and is easy to transfer and benefit from more than books and other means of knowledge. The study also showed that females have an advanced level of using the World Wide Web (the Internet) more than males. The study indicated the source from which the study sample acquired skills in using the Internet, and it became clear that the home was the first source with a percentage of (40.8%), followed by self-learning with a percentage of (36.3%), then school with a percentage of (16.8%), and finally colleagues or friends came with a percentage of (6%). %). She explained that the main source for acquiring the skill of using the Internet for male students is at home through parents or brothers, and for female students, their skills were acquired through self-learning. The general results of the research confirmed that the percentage of students who use new media is very high, as the percentage of those who browse The Internet (86%), and the percentage of females surfing the Internet is higher than males, reaching (51.8%), while the percentage of surfing the Internet among male students was (48.2%). The study also revealed that the smartphone is the most preferred method among the study sample for using social media with a percentage of (65.7%), in addition to the regular mobile phone, which came third with a percentage of (19%). The means that came in second place is the home computer with a percentage of (30.2%). %) The tablet device came fourth with a percentage of (18.3%). This percentage reflects the sample members’ participation with others in the family environment, for example, in owning these means. As for the least used means by the sample members, it was the school computer with a percentage of (10.3%). Perhaps this is due to The educational purposes of providing computers in the school and the student’s commitment to regular educational classes during the school day and the extent to which the study sample uses a number of social networking sites between always and sometimes and I do not use them. The most prominent results can be observed as follows: In the item of constant and daily use, it is clear that the sample members use Instagram ( Instagram) more permanently than other sites (46.7%), while in the item “sometimes” which is intended for use within 2-6 days, the study sample chose YouTube (39.2%). The study indicated that (36.3%) of the sample spend less than an hour browsing social media networks, while (29%) of the sample spend from one to less than 3 hours browsing, and (14.2%) spend 3-5 hours. Hours on social media networks, while (20.5%) of the sample spend more than 5 hours browsing social media networks. The study also showed the motives behind the study sample’s use of social networking, and it appeared that (53.3%) of them accepted it due to its ease of use, followed by keeping up with scientific and technological progress at a rate of (36.8%) as it has become abundantly available at the present time and it is difficult to remain isolated from it, and finally Low costs of using these methods; Being accessible to all segments of society, regardless of their social and economic circumstances, the study also revealed the reasons behind the study sample’s use of social networking sites, the first of which was searching for information at a rate of (43.5%), followed by self-entertainment at a rate of (28.2%). As for children who use Their percentage of communicating with colleagues and friends reached (22.2%), and finally benefiting from the opinions of others came at a rate of (6.2%). Given that participation in social networking sites requires logging in to them and some data about the user, he has two options: registering with his real name, Or choosing a pseudonym to express it. The study showed that more than half of the study sample had no reservations about registering under its real name, and this was expressed by (56.8%), compared to (43.2%) who used pseudonyms in their registration, and in a mathematical comparison between males and females, we find that The turnout of males to register under their real name is greater than the turnout of females, as (215) males agreed to register under their real name In comparison to (162) females who do not register under their real name. This is due to the nature of Omani society and its customs and traditions. We find that some girls are reluctant to mention their real name or one of their family members and do not register under their real name on social networking sites. Many believe that social networking sites have an impact on social relationships. The study confirmed that the sample members believe that these sites did not affect them at all, at a rate of (65.8%), while (23.2%) of the respondents expressed the positive impact, as these means refined their social communication skills, while (11%) of the respondents found The sample is that these means made them introverts and they do not like people because they spend a large part of their time in isolation from their external surroundings. This is one of the most prominent negatives attributed to social media. Many educators and families are also keen to know the extent of the impact of social media on the academic level of children, and it is interesting. To consider this study, half of the sample indicated a negative impact of these sites on their academic achievement, while (25%) of them saw the opposite, and that these sites had a positive impact on their academic achievement, while (13.5%) was neutral and did not see a significant impact of these sites. websites, and (12%) of the sample indicated that influence consists of benefiting from the opinions of others. Recommendations and proposals: With the great and clear interest of the government of the Sultanate of Oman towards children, the researcher suggests that governmental and private agencies specialized in child affairs continue to support studies related to children and what affects them, whether this effect is positive or negative, and to open official accounts on social networking sites to follow up on everything that is published about children. Broadcasting publications for Omani children to raise awareness, guidance and direction, and to open a communication link between the child and these parties, because children are often unable to convey their messages, needs and issues to these parties due to the distance. It is also suggested that there should be governmental, community, and family interaction, through traditional media, schools, mosques, and homes, in conveying positive messages about the role of social networking sites, explaining the negative aspects of these media in some detail, and continuing financial support by the competent authorities for studies related to children, especially in the field of the influence of social networking sites. On the Omani child, from both the positive and negative aspects, and not relying on the few studies that are counted on the fingers of one hand, because this segment is the most important segment in society and the one relied upon in building the future of Oman, in addition to promoting the study of social networking sites in the school curricula through the subject of information technology, because of this importance. It is important in establishing the maximum benefit from these means, such as its role in spreading the values of religious tolerance and spreading awareness of the values of citizenship and belonging to the homeland in the hearts of children so that they can be effective when they follow what is proposed in these means and not be carried away by misleading calls, abhorrent sectarian hatreds, and other negative calls. The researcher directs that children’s use of smart phones be under the supervision of parents, and to activate the role of the family as it is the primary custodian to enhance aspects of control over children, especially in the case of owning smart phones, and to direct children in the correct direction while receiving and sending what is circulated through these means, and to enhance the positive aspects of social media. And employ them appropriately. The researcher suggested creating integrated electronic libraries in various scientific, literary, and cultural disciplines that would serve as a real reference for the information the child needs and light study sources that would be available on social networking sites to save time and effort and not distract the child in long searches across many platforms, and to fill the children’s free time by sitting with them, talking to them, and listening. They can play, practice sports, and hold recreational competitions to spend their free time away from the Internet and social networking sites, the frequent follow-up of which leads to serious health and psychological injuries, and intensify oversight and spread awareness about electronic blackmail so that children do not fall victim to this blackmail, and activate the role of the school, the teacher, and the school social worker in Helping students to benefit from social media and address the negative aspects of these media through school radio, lectures, seminars, scientific journals, and other means.(Khalid bin Ali bin Saif Al-Khwaldi,2018).