SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION AND ITS IMPACT ON DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: A CASE STUDY OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION STUDENTS AT SOUK AHRAS UNIVERSITY

This study aims to explore the relationship between excessive use of social media and the level of physical activity among media and communication students at Mohamed Cherif Messaadia University, Souk Ahras. The study relied on a descriptiveanalytical approach, with data collected from a sample of 60 students using a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using correlation coefficients, t-tests, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results showed a statistically significant inverse relationship between excessive use of social media and physical activity levels. However, the results did not reveal a significant relationship between excessive use of social media and positive alternative behaviors such as following sports content or participating in fitness challenges. No significant differences were found based on gender, age, or educational level. The results also showed that urban residents tend to record higher levels of social media use and lower levels of physical activity, indicating an environmental influence.