1.0 INTRODUCTION This section consist of background of the study, statements of problem, purpose and objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study and scope of the study. 1.1 Background of the Study Internet is a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols. Nowadays, the growing popularity of internet users more attracted to social networking sites that help peoples to communicate and socialize with each other. Today, 1.5 billion people across the world have their profiles in social networking sites. The three most popular social networking sites are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Based on Alexa Global Traffic rank, the estimated monthly visitors for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are about 750, 250 and 110 million respectively. Time spent on Facebook, for example, is over 700 million minutes per month (Squidoo, 2012). The social networking revolution was born. It is because just about everyone who uses the Internet is a member of at least one and often many online social networks. With such widespread adoption, it is no surprise that social networks have impacted the way people live and socialise. Apart from the social benefits, social networking sites can be used to document school research, promote artistic talents and experiments with other forms of content creation. 1
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Social Networking Problems Among Uitm Shah Alam Students
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1.0 INTRODUCTION
This section consist of background of the study, statements of problem, purpose and
objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study and scope of the study.
1.1 Background of the Study
Internet is a global computer network providing a variety of information and communication
facilities, consisting of interconnected networks using standardized communication protocols.
Nowadays, the growing popularity of internet users more attracted to social networking sites
that help peoples to communicate and socialize with each other. Today, 1.5 billion people
across the world have their profiles in social networking sites.
The three most popular social networking sites are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Based on Alexa Global Traffic rank, the estimated monthly visitors for Facebook, Twitter
and LinkedIn are about 750, 250 and 110 million respectively. Time spent on Facebook, for
example, is over 700 million minutes per month (Squidoo, 2012). The social networking
revolution was born. It is because just about everyone who uses the Internet is a member of at
least one and often many online social networks. With such widespread adoption, it is no
surprise that social networks have impacted the way people live and socialise.
Apart from the social benefits, social networking sites can be used to document school
research, promote artistic talents and experiments with other forms of content creation. Along
with these benefits come some risks. Social networking is a prominent tool for
communication and self-expression for students. Although the online interaction is just for
fun, it is also consist of some danger that they not realized.
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1.2 Statements of the Problem
Widespread use of internet has led to a kind of addiction. The present study examined the use
of Internet and addiction of the social networking sites and its impact on intermediate level
students. Based on numerous psychology studies on social networking sites, it was found that
the students have positive tendency towards the useful and easy reflections on internet and a
greater tendency towards getting addicted.
However, this new form of capital and the easy access to unlimited online exposure
has had an overall negative effect on students’ academic performance (Karpinski &
Duberstein, 2009; Canales et al., 2009 cited in Sana Rouis, 2012). Thus, further studies are
needed to investigate the social networking problem among the students.
1.3 Purpose and Objectives of the Study
The study investigates the social networking problem among the students, as the social
networking sites nowadays becomes a reason for anxiety and addiction.
Therefore, the study attempts to achieve the following objectives:
a) To determine the social networking involvement among students.
b) To assess the level of awareness of the effects of social networking sites among
students.
1.4 Research Questions
a) What is the level of social networking involvement among the students?
b) What is the level of awareness of students regarding to the effects of social
networking sites?
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1.5 Significance of the Study
Recently, social networks have become very popular for all of the generations in the
worldwide. Its social implication can be varied. The social networking has tremendously
developed in this era and nowadays, it become vital in the daily lives of people. Social
Networking Sites had given a new space for communication which nowadays it can be two
ways communication either one-to-many, many-to-many and collaborative communication.
Thus, the people mostly choose the social networking sites as their communication because
of these kinds of interactivity.
As nowadays, we are living in Cyber the role of social networks in discussion and
dissemination of information need to be given a serious through particularly among students
because the students is a highest community of social networking sites. This is because the
social networks contribute either positive or negative impacts for them without realized it.
Thus, in this study it gives a various dimensions and problems that students faced when
logged onto Social Networking Sites and that why the tittles given as “Social Networking
Problems among UiTM Shah Alam”.
The findings of the study would provide information on social networking problems
among UiTM Shah Alam’s students. This will bring benefits to the Network Division Centre
for Integrated Information System of UiTM Shah Alam, so that they can restrict the internet
usage that can lead to networking problems among the students.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study was only carried out in some faculties in UiTM Shah Alam areas, with the issue of
social networking problem among students. The study has only 30 respondents, since it is
only a piloted study. The respondents were randomly selected between ages of 18 – 30 years
old. The data were collected in a questionnaire that has been distributed from 26 th November
2012 to 3rd December 2012.
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2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
This section consists of
2.1 Theoretical Perceptive of Social Networking Sites
In the last decades of the 20th century, world saw the rapid advancement of information and
communication technologies. Today, the communication revolution had brought us together
without no boundary and limitation. From time to time, we invented new communication
technologies for better individual. Until recently, internet has been perhaps the outstanding
innovation in the field of communication in the history of mankind.
Furthermore, the rapid expansion of internet worldwide has changed the whole scene.
It makes all the information available about any sort of things in the universe known to
mankind is at our fingertip. Right now, internet is used for communication, entertainment and
information. The internet offers a wide variety of communication tools. Most of the peoples
use facilities such like e-journal, e-book, internet banking, social networking, e-newspaper,
shopping and many more. Thus, it can be concluded that internet is an essential
communication medium in our personal life.
In addition, among of these various tools, Social Networking is a very popular
phenomenon. Millions of the peoples had been engaged with social networks. According to
Wikipedia, an online encyclopaedia, there are more than 300 Social Networking Sites and
almost 1.5 billion members worldwide. And recently, Facebook is one of the leading social
networking sites, which added over 200 million users in just 12 months.
Besides, online social networking is increasingly the subject of almost researches.
Scholars in many fields have begun to investigate the various aspects of social networking
services and the effect of social networking sites. Many studies have been conducted around
the world which is to investigate how these sites may play into issues of privacy, social,
youth culture, performance and education. This review of literature is allow us to study the
similar studies that had been conducted before which is in the same field. This will consist of
the information that had been established by previous studies and there are some information
added which leading to the expansion of knowledge.
Through there are negative perceptions about the possible effects of Social
Networking Sites on students’ academic performance, some studies showed that students
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found it quite appropriate for a teacher to use Facebook, and for teachers and students to
socialize by this means (Baran,2010). Students also believed that such tools could allow them
to share knowledge in formal education contexts. According to Churchill’s study (2009), it
showed that the use of weblogs or “blogs” (social publishing) in education facilitated a useful
learning atmosphere.
Studies of adolescents’ use of Social Networking Sites showed that their profile
contained a wealth of intimate, candid, and publicly available information on a wide range of
social issues. According to Williams and Mertne (2008), university students are often found
to be obsessed with their Facebook profile or Twitter page. The researchers matched this path
of identity exploration and role experimentation to Erik Erikson’s developments stages
(Erikson 1968). Erikson’s theory suggests that adolescents between the ages of 13-18 will
experience a period of psychosocial crisis- identity versus role confusion. While undergoing
this development stage, adolescents become conscious about sexual identity, peer
relationships and other social interactions. Williams and Mertne (2008) also suggested that
the over-dependency on these media may affect a student’s attendance at school.
DeBell and Chapman (2006) pointed out that adolescents and young adults are the
heaviest users of computers and the internet. Social Networking Sites become the latest
online communication tool that allows these users to create a public or private profile to
interact with people in their networks (Boyd&Ellison, 2008).
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2.2 Issues of Social Networking Sites
Over the years, social networking among the college students has become more and more
popular. Nowadays, it is a fastest way to make connections, not only on campus but also with
friends outside the campus. Social networking is a way that helps many people feels as
though they belong to community. While it is important to acknowledge the risks that may be
arise from the students’ user, the most experts have been concerned to point out that we
should not to overlook the potentially significant benefit that may arise from the use of
networking technologies. But along with these benefits, it also comes some risks such as
cyber-bullying, sexual harassment, academic performance, addiction and many more.
In the technology era, social networking is now just a part of student’s daily routine.
According to University of New Hampshire (U of NH, 2009), it concluded that a majority of
students used social networking for social connections and entertainment, but are also using it
for education and professional reasons. Social Networking Sites can also affect the academic
performance if the time management is not correctly spent. According to the previous
researcher named Karpinski which focused on the relation between the academic
performances of students with the time spent on Facebook (M.San, 2009). The overall finding
indicated that the grades slightly down when more time spent on Facebook because the time
supposedly used to study had been spent on Facebook. Furthermore, nowadays the students
preferred to access the social networking sites only by using smart phone. So as the
conclusion, the students can access the social networking sites anytime, anywhere and
everywhere although they are in class.
Furthermore, the world right now faces a new kind of addiction which is Internet
addiction after drug and alcohol. Besides, social networking sites influences such as people to
get mad behind it. This is like the people being immersed in virtual world and forgetting
about the real world around them. According to Florida Times-Union (2010), it reported that
a mother named Alexandra V. Tobias from north Florida killed her own child because the
boy crying that make her anger while playing FarmVille on Facebook. Thus, based on our
finding, it is consistent with this kind of addiction where mostly of the students will get mad
and depressed once the connection to social networking sites is failed.
In addition, Social Networking Sites are built on the sharing of information which are
included posting a comments, photographs and video images. Thus, all the information would
be exposed to others online. But mostly, the young people may be less cautions about posting
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private information compare to the older users. Besides, they are also tend to ignore to read
the term and condition for some of social networks such as Facebook, Yahoo Messenger,
Twitter and many more. According to Community Attitudes Survey that had been conducted
in 2007, it can be concluded that young people more generally lower levels of awareness in
their privacy (Research into Community Attitudes towards Privacy in Australia, 2007). Due
to the lower level of awareness among the users, it contribute 100 million profiles had been
hacked in Facebook according to Ron Bowles as online security consultant ( D.Biswajit ,
2011).
At started, social networking sites invented to make contact with people and also built
a network of healthy relationship in society. But nowadays, it seems offer a cybercriminals to
take advantages by targets their victims by online. In this era, students and younger are the
majority users for this kind of sites. Thus, with this facilities, the younger and students easily
to become the victims of cybercriminals such as rape, bullying and murder. Teens easily
believe in love with the person they met online but actually they are falling to the trap of
sexual predators. According to Steenhuysen,2008, it stated that majority of cases involve a
young teenagers mostly 13-, 14-, 15-years old who are targeted by adults on internet who are
straightforward bout being interested in sex.
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2.3 Relevant Studies
From time to time, many studies had been conducted in these same fields of study with
almost the same goal and purposes. Most of the studies are used to investigate the services of
social networking site and the impacts that faced by the students when logged onto the social
networking sites. Thus, this study is carried out to investigate the Social Networking
Problems among students. The relevant study that consists of previous researches with the
same field is taken as the guideline and it had been added with new information to give a
proper direction to the work and leading to the expansion of knowledge. Besides, it showed
the strength and the weaknesses of the previous studies. Social Networking Sites recently
labelled as the vital communication due to their ability of interactivity with the other peoples.
As stated before, Social Networking Sites had been used for the student for education
and professional purpose (U of NH, 2009). But if the use of Social Networking Sites is
uncontrolled it can affect the academic performance of the students. Several studies had been
conducted regarding social networking and grades. San Miguel, Renay (2009) conducted a
study, tittles “Study on Facebook and Grades Becomes Learning Experiences for
Researchers”, to understand the relation between times spent with the grade in academic
performance. In this research, the researchers found out that “more time on Facebook equals
slightly lower grade”. Besides, it also found that the Facebook users studied 1-5 hours per
week while the non-Facebook users would studied 11-15 hours per week. Although many
researcher aware that Facebook is not only thing that possibly taking away study time but
55% of those surveyed access their pages several time a days or at least once a day but in a
long period of time. Thus, it directly had taken the time of study.
In addition, Social Networking Sites also affect the academic based on the Paul A.
Kirschnera study, tittles “Facebook and Other Online Social Network Site Can Lower
Grade”. In this research, it stated that students who multi-task between social networking
sites and homework are likely to have 20 percent lower grade than student who does not have
social networking sites. This is because while they are carrying out their task, may be their
email or instant messaging constantly running and it directly make them unfocused with their
study.
Based on the awareness of privacy sharing, that kind of studied had been conducted
by Catherine Dwyer, Starr Roxanne Hiltz and Katie Passerini (2007). In this research, it is
about on how trust other members in a particular sites can affect user’s willingness to share
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information and develops new relationship. This situation mostly happened on the younger
user which has a minimal level of awareness in term of privacy and information sharing. This
study had been used Facebook and MySpace as their subject of comparison. Thus, the result
showed that the online friendship can develop in this sites where the protection of privacy is
minimal. Thus, with this kind of situation, they are easily falling with the cybercriminals such
as murder, rape, bullying and many more.
Based on the social networking addiction, psychologist Micheal Fenichel had been
described that FAD (“Facebook Addiction Disoder”) as the situation where the Facebook
usage overtake the daily activities such as eating, sleeping, working, playing and more.
According to Dr. Mohamad Hussain Habil, director of University Malaya Center of
Addictives Sciences, he concluded that the children that addicted to the internet who is
obsessed with virtual activities, they are willing to forego their meals, sleep, responsibilities
and leisure activities. This objective is same with the survey in US where 56 percent users
check Facebook at least once a day. The research also stated that people under 25 years old
are more likely to lose sleep by keeping an eye on their friend’s post (People’s addiction to
networking sites on rise, 2010).
The study that is present is similar with to some of studies that stated above. The
relevant studies enabled the researchers to gain a better understanding and also the
perspective of the subject.
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3.0 METHADOLOGY
This section consists of
3.1 Introduction
This section discusses about the methodology of the research. The main objectives or
purposes of the research are to investigate the problem faced by university students when
logged onto the social networking sites and to access the level of awareness of the effects of
social networking sites among students. To assess and evaluate the objectives, students from
UiTM Shah Alam was chosen. Data for the research were collected through the
questionnaire.
3.2 Background of the Respondents
The respondents of the study were the students from the different courses at University
Technology Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam. In November 2012, a total of 30 questionnaires were
distributed to students at the different faculties of the university. All the questionnaires from
the various faculties had been collected. Based on the questionnaires, 9 were male students
while the rest, 21 were female.
3.3 Research Instruments
This research utilized only the quantitative research methodology. The instrument used to
collect the data was questionnaire. A set of questionnaire that containing 25 questions had
been divided into 3 sections based on a questionnaire used previously by another study and a
few questions had been added into it. Different question-types such as ranking yes-no, listing,
category and scales were used in the questionnaire. The different sections of the questionnaire
were: i) demographic information, ii) frequency of social networking sites visit and, iii)
awareness of the effect of the social networking. The questionnaire was checked to the
lecturer to assess its validity before it was distributed.
3.4 Research Procedure
Before the actual data collection period, the questionnaire is checked by the lecturer to assess
the validity of the research instrument. A total of 30 students were involved in the pilot study
chosen at random at various places of the university.
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During the actual study, questionnaires were distributed at various locations on
campus, such as bus stops, several faculties and in the library. Furthermore, questionnaires
are familiar to most of the people. Nearly everyone has had some experience in answering a
questionnaire. It’s easier for researcher to summarize and analyze the date due to there is
standard questions and format for questionnaire, researcher’s own opinion will not influence
the respondents to answer the question in a certain manner.
3.5 Data Analysis
To analyse the data, a total of 4 variables were taken into consideration namely addiction,
ignore of responsibilities, and less of confidents and awareness of social networking. All the
data were entered into the computer using Statistical Packages for the Social Science (SPSS)
software. Results were presented through frequency counts and other descriptive statistics.
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4.0 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This section discusses the results of the research on the social networking problems
among UiTM Shah Alam Students. The findings will be divided into two important
two important topics found from the survey received from 30 students of UiTM Shah
Alam.
4.1 Demographic Information
From the 30 respondents, 21 of them are female. Ninety percent of the respondents
are below 27 years old and most of them are between 18 to 20 years old.
4.2 Problems faced by UiTM students on Social Networking Sites (SNS)
This part will present the problems faced by UiTM students on SNS such as
addiction, ignorant on responsibility, and also confidence level.
4.2.1 Addiction
After drugs and alcohol addiction, if the world is facing a new type of addiction
disorder, then that is Social Networking Sites (SNS) addiction (Bisjawit, 2011). A
survey conducted among 30 students of UiTM Shah Alam, 26 of them are members
of social networking sites. In addition, only 6.7 percent of the respondents logged on
to their favorite SNS less than once in a few days. Besides that, 66.7 percent of them
surprise with the time spent on the SNS. As a consequence, the take too much time on
the SNS until effect the time for academic purposes.
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Figure 1:
Time spent
on SNS in a
day
In
general, it can be seen in Figure 1 that most of the students spent the time on SNS
more than 2 hours. Thus, the time for them to do the assignments are decreases just
because of too much time on SNS.
Based on Dr Joanna Lipari, a clinical psychologist at University of California says
there are five clues that show you are addicted to Facebook in article “Are you
suffering” in 2010 (Bisjawit, 2011).
You start losing sleep over Facebook and that hampers your daily activity.
Spend more than an hour on Facebook.
You become obsessed with your old loves and start visiting their profile. And
gradually it starts to affect your current relationship status.
You tend to ignore work and use Facebook in office hours.
When you think of going a day without Facebook, it causes stress and anxiety
to you.
Another significant point that leads to addiction in SNS are when 70 percent of the
respondents agree that they become frustrated or angry when SNS goes down or
having internet connection problem. It shows that, the addiction to SNS may lead to
emotional problems among the students. This case seems to be a serious case when it
involved with emotional. Emotional is not a small matter in any case because
emotional problems to others serious problems.
4.2.2 Ignorant of responsibility
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37%
30%
20%
13%
Time spent on SNS in a day
1-2 hours3-4 hours5-6 hoursmore than 7 hours
Being responsible is a learned behaviour. It is not an accident and it requires patience
and effort. In general, responsibility of a student is to perform-well in their academic
and also co-curricular.
From the survey, 76.7 percent of the respondents use mobile phone to access
SNS. This may lead for the students to access SNS during class especially when they
bored or feel sleepy in the class; thus, they do not focus in the class. Among 30
respondents, only 46.7 percent of them agree that they stay up late or wake up earlier
to spend time on SNS. When it happens, they may sleepy in the class. As done by
some researchers, a good quality time for us to sleep is about 5 to 6 hours. When less
than that, our productivity in the next day will decrease, and we will feel tired easily.
Games SNS Blog Chat room Movies or Videos
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Website Preferred
Highest Priority Priority Less Priority Least Priority
Figure 2: Website preferred
From the bar chart, the main website preferred by the respondents are Social
Networking Sites (SNS) and the least preferred website are games. This statistic
shows that SNS is the favorite sites and the very famous sites among students.
Students join social networking sites because it gives them an opportunity to express
their views, a feel of independency and self esteem. It is just a click way to create a
virtual profile and connect with millions of users across the world, becomes more
interesting because you can stay connected with old friends and family members. It is
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not a mistake for students to access SNS but they should know how to manage their
time on SNS and study. They should know the things that more poetize.
4.2.3 Level of confidence
Agree Strongly Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree0
5
10
15
20
25
30
3533.3
30
26.7
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SNS tend to be less confident
Figure 3: SNS tend to be less confident
The bar chart above (Figure 2) shows that most of the respondents agree that SNS
may lead to be less confident in real life. Similarly, 19 of the respondents say that
number of friends in SNS is more than in real life. In contrast, 22 of them prefer to
interact with people face-to-face rather than on SNS only. These findings did not
support Dr Bisjawit’s research on “Social Networking Sites: A critical Analysis of Its
Impact on Personal and Social Life”. He says that SNS users face severe health risk
because they reduce face-to-face contact and become addicted in a virtual world of
relationships.
Aric Sigman, fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine, says “social
networking sites have played a significant role in making people become more
isolated. Lack of face-to-face contact could alter the way genes work, upset immune
responses, hormonal levels, function of arteries and influence mental performance.
This could increase the risk of health problems like cancer, strokes, heart disease and