Exploring indonesian young females online social networks (OSNs) addictions

Abstract

In this paper, we explore the Indonesian young females' addictions to the use of Online Social Networks (OSNs). The study is based on phenomenal conditions where Online Social Networks have become a popular trend among Indonesian young generation, particularly young females. Indonesian young females have extravagantly used Online Social Networks as a platform for sharing information, demonstrate self-identity, and sustaining relationship. This condition also occurs in university context, where female students are often found busy working with Online Social Networks through their mobile phone. Based on those reasons, this study seeks to indicate factors indicate that Indonesian young females are so addicted to Online Social Networks usages. In addition, this recent study also figures out kinds of information regularly shared on Online Social Networks (OSNs) profiles. To obtain the findings, this study involved fifteen young female students from Mass Communication major as the respondents of the study. The data were gathered through semi-structured questionnaire distributed to the fifteen female students of Mass Communication. The results reveal that four major factors were leading these young females become addicted to Online Social Networks as Line, WhatsApp, and Facebook. Those factors were number of OSN groups joined, time-spent using OSNs, number of friends in OSNs, and medias for accessing OSNs. Furthermore, the findings also declare that pictures, videos, and real names were top listed information shared by online through the social networks. By the end of the study, it is suggested that educators and parents should highly concern on the negative implications of young females' addictive behavior. For further research this study recommends to conduct a similar study to different gender as male students in order to investigate their major causes of addiction to Online Social Networks.