Keywords: Uses and Gratification Theory; Social Networking Sites; Higher education students; Motivation Introduction Social networking sites (SNSs) have entered peoples daily life with amazing rapidity to become an important social platform for computer-mediated communication (Correa, Hinsley, & de 1974 - Jay Blumler & Elihu Katz. The Uses & Gratification Theory looks at how people use the media to gratify a range of needs - including the need for information, personal identity, integration, social interaction and entertainment. The Uses and Gratification Theory takes the relationship between media texts and audiences a step further. First, the uses and gratifications theory is explained in brief. Then the literature review for the studies relating to the Internet uses and gratifications are provided. Next the research questions are mentioned. The research questions are set out as (1) what are the gratifications of Internet use for the cybercafé visitors in the Indian Uses and Gratifications Theory (U> Katz et al. 1973) helps explain the gratifications sought and obtained in the use of social media, and also shows that these gratifications differ according to individual characteristics. Uses and Gratifications theory Most of the theories on media explained about the effects media had on people. It is the theory which explains of how people use media for their need and gratification. In other words we can say this theory states what people do with media rather than what media does to people. The Uses and Gratifications Theory is a communication theory that was first introduced in the 1940s and 1950s. The theory is based on the idea that people actively choose and use media to fulfil individual needs and desires. Furthermore, it argues that people are not passive consumers of media. ZFAUn3t.

uses and gratification theory explained