As digital technologies continue to transform higher education, social media has emerged as both an indispensable learning resource and a potential impediment to academic success. With platforms such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram increasingly integrated into students’ daily routines, their role in education, professional development, and collaborative learning has expanded significantly. Social media facilitates access to educational materials, peer-to-peer learning, and interactive engagement with academic content. However, it also raises concerns about reduced attention spans, and an increased tendency toward procrastination. While prior research explored the broader implications of digital technology in education, limited studies have focused on students’ perceptions of social media as a tool for learning. Addressing this gap, this study examines the relationship between social media use and academic performance, investigating its potential as an educational tool while acknowledging the challenges associated with its overuse.

Our study aims to assess how Romanian students perceive the impact of social media on their academic experience. Specifically, it explores whether social media enhances learning outcomes, facilitates active engagement with educational content, and improves academic productivity, or whether it is a source of distraction that diminishes learning efficiency. The research further examines differences in student behavior based on the purpose of social media use-academic, professional, or recreational-and its correlation with academic performance.

The research uses quantitative methods, utilizing an online survey administered to 300 university students with various academic backgrounds. The structured questionnaire measures students’ frequency and purpose of social media usage, their perceived benefits and challenges, and self-reported effects on learning efficiency. By examining how students navigate the intersection of social media and education, this study provides empirical evidence on whether digital platforms contribute positively to academic success or act as an impediment to focused learning.

Preliminary findings reveal that over 70% of respondents perceive social media as a valuable educational resource, frequently using it for accessing academic materials, engaging in scholarly discussions etc. YouTube emerges as the most frequently used platform for tutorial-based learning, while LinkedIn serves as a key tool for academic networking and career development. However, approximately 60% of students report that excessive social media use negatively impacts their concentration. Further statistical analyses indicate a significant correlation between the purpose of social media engagement and academic outcomes: students who actively use social media for educational purposes tend to exhibit better academic performance than those who primarily engage with it for recreational activities.

The study highlights the dual role of social media in education, seeing it as both a facilitator of digital learning and a source of distraction. The findings underscore the importance of fostering digital literacy, self-regulation, and time management skills among students. Additionally, the study suggests that universities should implement structured pedagogical frameworks that integrate social media into academic curricula, promoting its use as a strategic learning tool rather than a passive digital distraction.

Keywords: Social media, digital education, active learning, academic performance, cognitive distraction, digital literacy, student engagement, technology-enhanced learning.