Social Networking Sites Environment Research Articles

Fuzzy-Based Trust Model to Evaluate Customer Trust towards Online SNSs Sellers

The rapid growth of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) as business platforms for individual or small sellers recognised trust as the main important role in determining the successful execution of their business operation.Current trust modelfocused in business sellers by considering website as one of the trust factors. However, these model are not applicable for SNSs environment. Based on the identified factors affecting trust in SNSs environment, this paper proposeda fuzzy-based trust model to evaluate customers‘ trust based on their perception and experiences.The evaluation model was then tested to validate its efficiency in evaluating trust level.

Illusion of SNS influence: are popular SNS influential

People influence each other in the environment of social networking sites (SNS). Some SNS have gained popularity. Practitioners and researchers assume that these popular SNS are influential. However, influence and popularity are two different concepts. This research aims to provide two clear concepts of influence and popularity as well as their relationship. Popularity is hypothesised that it is affected by elements in the surroundings (e.g. societal position of a SNS owner) of SNS based on a peripheral information processing mechanism, whereas influence is hypothesised that it is affected by core elements (e.g. quality of content on a SNS message) of SNS based on a central information processing mechanism. The results indicate that influence is solely affected by the central information processing mechanism, but popularity is affected by both central and peripheral information processing mechanisms. There is a relationship between influence and popularity but it is marginal. Therefore, it should not be assumed that popular SNS are influential and vice versa.

WITHDRAWN: Recognition and prevention of cyberharassment in social media using classification algorithms

Cyberbullying is the aggressive pressure or harassment produce through electronic devices like laptops, desktop or computer, smart phones, and tablets. The harassment can occur in the environment of social networking sites, chat rooms, and gaming platforms where people can view and take part in the exchanging of their thoughts. The different kind of cyberbullying or harassment creates the humiliation through hateful comments on digital platforms/apps, or through SMS or messaging. It involves the sending posting, or sharing negative, disgusting, nasty or wrong information about another individual for causing embarrassment and the malicious and unjustified harming of a person's good reputation. Machine learning algorithms give a chance to find successfully predicting, detecting and preventing undesirable, harmful and unwanted opinions of human behavior, such as cyberharassment. It gives the pivotal information on new ways in the way of detecting and preventing antagonistic or violent human behavior, including cyber harassment detection and prevention in online social environmental sites. ML algorithms gives an prospect to completely expect, detect and prevent hurtful attitude of human behavior, such as cyber bullying. A model is proposed to detect and prevent the negative opinion in social media using Classification model algorithms. Profanity detection library function and Natural Language Processing are used to detect and prevent the negative opinions in the social media. This proposed model is helpful for the Government to identify the negative opinions given by the users in the social media and they can take actions. The development of such an application has the ability to stop and reduce the rate of cyberbullying that has been happening social media.

What Message Characteristics Make Social Engineering Successful on Facebook: The Role of Central Route, Peripheral Route, and Perceived Risk

Past research suggests that the human ability to detect social engineering deception is very limited, and it is even more limited in the virtual environment of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook. At the organizational level, research suggests that social engineers could succeed even among those organizations that identify themselves as being aware of social engineering techniques. This may be partly due to the complexity of human behaviors in failing to recognize social engineering tricks in SNSs. Due to the vital role that persuasion and perception play on users’ decision to accept or reject social engineering tricks, this paper aims to investigate the impact of message characteristics on users’ susceptibility to social engineering victimization on Facebook. In doing so, we investigate the role of the central route of persuasion, peripheral route of persuasion, and perceived risk on susceptibility to social engineering on Facebook. In addition, we investigate the mediation effects between the explored factors, and whether there is any relationship between the effectiveness of them and users’ demographics.

Civility and trust in social media

Social media have been credited with the potential of reinvigorating trust by offering new opportunities for social and political participation. This view has been recently challenged by the rising phenomenon of online incivility, which has made the environment of social networking sites hostile to many users. We conduct a novel experiment in a Facebook setting to study how the effect of social media on trust varies depending on the civility or incivility of online interaction. We find that participants exposed to civil Facebook interaction are significantly more trusting. In contrast, when the use of Facebook is accompanied by the experience of online incivility, no significant changes occur in users’ behavior. These results are robust to alternative configurations of the treatments.

FACEBOOK AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: EFL LEARNERS’ EXPERIENCES (A QUALITATIVE STUDY)

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the EFL learners’ practices and understand their experiences with SNSs (social networking sites) as a tool for English language learning. The study results were obtained from a survey of 144 undergraduate Jordanian EFL learners in the English and Translation Departments at Yarmouk University in Jordan. In the quantitative phase of the study, the research questions focused on the actual practices and strategies of EFL students on SNSs. This study was guided by the following research questions: To what extent do Jordanian EFL learners use Facebook as a tool for language learning? And what language learning practices do Jordanian EFL learners engage in on Facebook? The results revealed that most participants felt comfortable using Facebook in English language learning. However, less than half of them used Facebook on a regular basis to learn English. In addition, they tended to read and observe discussions in English rather than participate in them or produce language output. The results also revealed that learners’ practices or behaviors in the SNS environment changed depending on certain factors, such as the context, audience, sense of belonging, self – confidence, and the learners’ needs and interests. The results of the study brought to light some implications in the context of formal and informal language learning. The study might raise learner, teacher, and educator awareness about SNSs as a tool for language learning, particularly for countries with limited resources. The results also showed the need for a theoretical and pedagogical framework for the teaching and learning process that identifies the best practices and ways to avoid any harm in a SNS environment. Integrating SNSs in language teaching and learning is a topic that requires further study. Using SNSs inside and outside the classroom to practice different language skills is an important topic for future research. Article visualizations:

Civility and Trust in Social Media

Social media have been credited with the potential of reinvigorating trust by offering new opportunities for social and political participation. This view has been recently challenged by the rising phenomenon of online incivility, which has made the environment of social networking sites hostile to many users. We conduct a novel experiment in a Facebook setting to study how the effect of social media on trust varies depending on the civility or incivility of online interaction. We find that participants exposed to civil Facebook interaction are significantly more trusting. In contrast, when the use of Facebook is accompanied by the experience of online incivility, no significant changes occur in users' behavior. These results are robust to alternative configurations of the treatments.

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: JORDANIAN EFL LEARNERS’ PRACTICES AND EXPERIENCES

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the EFL learners’ practices and understand their experiences with SNSs (social networking sites) as a tool for English language learning. The study was conducted in richer information and a deeper insight was gained through a qualitative case study. In the qualitative phase, 12 participants were purposefully selected and interviewed in order to explain further the statistical results, develop a rich descriptive picture of their lived experiences using social networking to improve their English language learning, and identify the factors and barriers that influence their practices. This study was guided by the following research question: How do these Facebook practices affect their language learning experiences? The results revealed that most participants felt comfortable using Facebook in English language learning. However, less than half of them used Facebook on a regular basis to learn English. In addition, they tended to read and observe discussions in English rather than participate in them or produce language output. The results also revealed that learners’ practices or behaviors in the SNS environment changed depending on certain factors, such as the context, audience, sense of belonging, self – confidence, and the learners’ needs and interests. Article visualizations:

A Cost-Based Explanation of Gradual, Regional Internationalization of Multinationals on Social Networking Sites

This paper examines firm internationalization on social networking sites (SNS). It systematically examines costs faced by an internationalizing firm and how firms react to these costs according to “distance-dependent” (gradual and regional) and “distance-invariant” (born-global) explanations of internationalization. Data on 5827 country pages of 240 multinational firms on Facebook, the most popular SNS today, is used. Creating a foreign country-specific Facebook page is considered the SNS equivalent of opening a physical subsidiary in that country. The data show that multinationals exhibit internationalization behavior described by distance-dependent explanations, rather than the distance-invariant view, despite seemingly lower internationalization costs. Specifically, firms start internationalizing to institutionally closer countries, and gradually expand to more institutionally distant countries. They also tend to internationalize within their home region. The results point to the relevance of distance-dependent explanations of internationalization even in a seemingly low-friction environment of SNS, and the importance of explicitly accounting for internationalization costs in studies of cross-border expansion.

Online Social Gaming and Social Networking Sites

Online social games are becoming a significant component in today's social media sites. The social networking sites environment has provided a platform for online games to develop and expand in the virtual medium. Users are now able to play games online, compare scores, and challenge each other among many other things. Due to the diverse user demographics of social media sites, various motivations to playing social games emerge. The need for this present research was to answer the question whether the integration of social games within social networking sites and apps have increased the likelihood of playing those games. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to predict from the fact that will be used to decide whether to include games (Adventure, Fighting, Design\\Art, Virtual Life…etc.) in the social media sites that still have not been implemented (such as Twitter, Tumblr, etc.). Also, we want to discover whether the inclusion of social games has improved the services offered by social sites and whether social gaming has effects on human behavior with regards to socializing and interacting with others. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between social media apps and games, and whether the former has increased users participation in online games. The primary setting for the quantitative method of research study was the online gamers regardless their age, gender, and interests. The data were collected by distributing an online survey, and were analyzed using WEKA data mining tool. Two popular classification algorithms were used to predict the answer of this research question. The resulting data were compared and tested for their accuracy using different metrics.

Authenticity on Facebook. Between Exposure and Self Representation

The aim of this paper is to explore the topic of self presentation on Facebook, by rethinking Goffman’s dramaturgy of everyday life and adapting it to the environment of social networking sites. In order to do so, I draw on two existing discussions in the literature: one is the dichotomy between self presentation and exposure (with users shifting between being subjects and objects) and the other is the increased preoccupation with representation rather than presentation of the self, which is specific to late modernity. My understanding of the issue comes from a qualitative empirical study, with data consisting of semi structured interviews with Facebook users. The conclusion, drawing on Featherstone, is that the interpretative processes which come into play when reading Facebook posts as presentation, representation or exposure, have lost their uniformity with the rise of multiple competing regimes of significance.

Towards a better protection of social media users: a legal perspective on the terms of use of social networking sites

The ‘Terms of Use’ of Social Networking Sites (SNS) increasingly attract attention from policymakers and civil society. It is argued that these terms are rarely read by users and that, consequently, users cannot correctly assess their implications. This article attempts to evaluate the validity of SNS Terms of Use based on the requirements that are imposed in existing legal instruments. Firstly, we look at the phenomenon of standard contracts in the offline world. Secondly, we try to identify whether the SNS environment adds additional elements to the manner in which consumers approach standard Terms of Use. Thirdly, as a case study, we examine the Terms of Use of Facebook and assess whether the clauses could be found invalid on the basis of several law requirements. Finally, we try to put forward a number of remedies for the imbalance of the rights and responsibilities that can currently be found in SNS Terms of Use.

Online social networking sites—a novel setting for health promotion?

Among adolescents, online social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook are popular platforms for social interaction and may therefore be considered as ‘novel settings' that could be exploited for health promotion. In this article, we examine the relevant definitions in health promotion and literature in order to analyze whether key characteristics of ‘settings for health promotion’ and the socio-ecological settings approach can be transferred to SNS. As many of our daily activities have shifted to cyberspace, we argue that online social interaction may gain more importance than geographic closeness for defining a ‘setting’. While exposition to positive references to risk behavior by peers may render the SNS environment detrimental to health, SNS may allow people to create their own content and therefore foster participation. However, those health promotion projects delivered on SNS up until today solely relied on health education directed at end users. It remains unclear how health promotion on SNS can meet other requirements of the settings approach (e.g. building partnerships, changing the environment). As yet, one should be cautious in terming SNS a ‘setting’.

AN EXPLORATION OF STUDENT ATTITUDES ON PRIVACY/SECURITY ISSUES: FACEBOOK USAGE CONCERNS AND EXPECTATIONS

The technological advent of Social Media, powered and enhanced in great measure by the introduction of Facebook, has generated the need for an exploratory and in-depth research study of the privacy and security implications inherent in Social Networking Sites (SNS), and the responses of the students that engage in this sphere of activity interaction through Facebook integration. In this study, we examine and categorize the privacy and security concerns of undergraduate college students at the time of entry into the SNS environment and in the period beyond the entry stage. A survey instrument of twenty-four relevant privacy and security questions and accompanying demographic data was designed, disseminated to the undergraduate students, and analyzed. The three research questions revolved around these factors: the privacy concerns of undergraduate students when first encountering the Facebook environment, differences in perception due to the gender of the user in regard to privacy concerns about Facebook, and changes in privacy concerns with continued usage over a period of time. The primary concerns analyzed within and between groups are: personal privacy, identity theft, stalking, harassment/flaming, and future employment consequences. We conclude with a discussion of results and recommendations for future research trajectories.

‘Off your Face(book)’: Alcohol in online social identity construction and its relation to problem drinking in university students

Alcohol is a key component of identity exploration for many young people, yet few studies have investigated identity construction in relation to problematic drinking. Increases in youth alcohol consumption have coincided with expanding use of communications technologies, particularly social networking sites (SNS), which have altered traditional conditions of identity construction. It has been found young people often engage with alcohol in the SNS environment by portraying themselves as binge drinkers. The current study applied an innovative approach to identity construction (the photographic essay) to provide insight into the portrayal of ‘alcohol-identity’ on Facebook. One hundred and fifty-eight university students completed a range of alcohol measures before providing access for researchers to view their Facebook profiles to operationalise their alcohol-identity according to autophotographic methodology. Participants utilised a variety of photographic and textual material to present alcohol as a component of their identity on Facebook, with over half having selected an alcohol-related profile image. Alcohol-identity predicted alcohol consumption and problematic alcohol-related behaviours as measured by questionnaires used to reliably identify alcohol-related problems in university students. Almost 60% reported potentially problematic alcohol use according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Findings suggest that portraying oneself as a drinker is considered by many young people to be a socially desirable component of identity in the SNS environment, perpetuating an online culture that normalises binge drinking. Ready-made Facebook photo essays provide an alternate method of accessing problematic alcohol use, supplementing self-report measures.