The use of Facebook for national integration by Bina Nusantara University students

Abstract

A number of young people in Indonesia has Facebook account as their social media. It is used not only to link to their friends but also to obtain information. However, the rapid development of Facebook use has not only a positive impact but also a negative one. One that should be a concern is that the truth of the information posted in Facebook is not always accountable. Several users are likely to trust the information posted even though it is not reliable. As a result, it is not uncommon that the information on Facebook can actually make the disintegration on the nation. Therefore, this study is conducted to describe how Facebook can be used by young people to make Indonesian nation more integrated. The informants are nine students of Bina Nusantara University who are selected randomly. The data are collected using interview technique based on nine relevant questions. Then the data are analyzed using the theory of Uses and Gratifications. The results show that social media such as Facebook can be used by university students as a tool to maintain and develop Indonesian’s national integration. They can also manage not to allow such media to make the nation disintegrated. This result implies that when social media is used wisely and positively, it supports the nation for sustainable integration.