Use Of Social Networking Applications Research Articles

WhatsApp application for teaching and learning in higher education institutions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate WhatsApp application for teaching and learning in higher education institutions (HEIs). The consideration for the use of the WhatsApp is based on its usefulness, ease of use, low cost of data and maintenance practices for the functionality of the mobile device used for the WhatsApp. Design/methodology/approach This paper applied systematic literature review in conceptualizing how WhatsApp application could be used for enhanced teaching and learning in HEIs. Most of the articles used in carrying out this study were harvested from Google Scholar. This study was carried out within three weeks internal Findings This study established that WhatsApp has also served as a learning and teaching tool which has made majorities of university students, irrespective of their geographical locations, become tech-savvy, self-expressive and open to new ways of doing things, including the use of social network applications. The exposition of the authors based on the findings from this study indicates that through the use of WhatsApp, activity theory of mobile learning postulated by Vygotsky and theory of connectives by George Siemens gave them the understanding surrounding how humans interact with technology through continuous use of tools. Research limitations/implications This research carried out has a lot of implications to global HEI due to innovation and practices of teaching learning and research. Social implications WhatsApp application has become the avenue through which people learn and retain and share information and knowledge among themselves for a better quality live scenarios. It has brought a shift from traditional to virtual platform of user experience (UX) in the use of digital technologies. Originality/value WhatsApp application for teaching and learning in HEIs established that the impact of WhatsApp on teaching, learning and retention of collocation of knowledge among school students or learners cannot be undermined. The result revealed from this study indicates that there is a shift from traditional to virtual platform which has brought diverse opportunities of transformation the educational systems, enhance productivity and quality service delivery and challenges, where lecturers would have to learn and unlearn through UX of the use of digital technologies.

Device Information for Forensic Analysis

This document provides an overview of information for forensic analysis related to device name, serial number and model of devices used to connect to social networking platforms. The increasing use of social networking applications on smartphones makes these devices a gold mine for forensic researchers. Potential evidence can be captured on these devices and recovered with the right tools and research methods. The increasing proliferation of network devices in homes and buildings increases the possibilities of finding digital traces relevant to an investigation, physical or virtual: cyber-attacks, identity theft, etc. connected to the network can also find useful traces on the devices themselves found or stored in an associated cloud account that can be identified by device ID, model, and serial number. Keywords: Digital Forensics; Device Information, Evidence, Storage, Cyber forensics framework. BOOK Chapter ǀ Research Nexus in IT, Law, Cyber Security & Forensics. Open Access. Distributed Free Citation: Paul Antwi (2022): Device Information for Forensic Analysis Book Chapter Series on Research Nexus in IT, Law, Cyber Security & Forensics. Pp 373-378 www.isteams.net/ITlawbookchapter2022. dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CRP-BK3-P59

Saudi Diabetic Patients’ Beliefs and Experiences with Health Related Information from Social Media

Introduction: Social media and acceptance of the information related to health is becoming acceptable to an extent for the public. The use of social media is rapidly growing and it is being used both by healthcare professionals and patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of social networking applications for experience and behaviour towards health information among diabetic patients.
 Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross sectional study, conducted in spring of 2020 (April to May). The distribution of the survey questionnaire was done online through various social media platforms with a convenience sample of people with diabetes (n=569), Eligibility criteria were aged 18 and above, Saudis with diagnosis of diabetes and willing to give consent were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were less than 18 years old and non-Saudis and non-diabetic.
 Results: Analysis of online survey data indicated that WhatsApp (89.1%) was the most commonly used social network followed by Snapchat (66.3%), Instagram (40.6%), Twitter (35%), Telegram (19.5%), Tiktok (12.5%) and Facebook (10%). About 25 (4.4%) participants strongly agreed that health information from social media impact life positively. More than half 290(51%) participants agreed to apply information only from the trusted websites. Near about half 275(48.3%) disagreed that social media could invent treatment for diabetes more than believing in health institution and medicinal industries. Nearly one-fourth 141(24.8%) of participants agreed that all health information from social media is right. Almost 264 (46.4%) said that they sometimes face health information in social media. Nearly 265(46.6%) patients mentioned that they never applied themselves any information claiming treating diabetes.
 Conclusion: This study shows the effect of social media on diabetic patients and various responses of diabetic patients in regard of their beliefs and experience towards health information from social media. Most of the respondents agreed that they apply information obtained from social network and the same could lead to some deleterious effects on health.

Sex-seeking on the internet and mobile-based applications among young people in China: An online survey.

The aim of this study was to investigate young people's risk behaviors in use of social network applications for sexual purposes. Snowball sampling technique was used to recruit participants online. Logistic regressions were performed to examine interrelationships among risk behaviors and sex-seeking platforms (A, B, C, D, and others). The prevalence of online sex-seeking was 22.2% (1156/5199) among people with sexual experience, and the most debut online sex-seeking happened in 15-24years old in both men and women (79.8%, 590/739 vs 86.1%, 359/417). The risk behaviors varied in different platforms among 730 young people age 15-24years. Among men, participants seeking sex via B were more likely to engage in concurrent sexual partnership (aOR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.01-2.66). Participants seeking sex via C were more likely to engage in drug use (aOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.01-3.02) and condomless sex (aOR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.04-2.95). Participants seeking sex via A, C, or D were all less likely to have homosexual behaviors. Among women, participants seeking sex via B were more likely to have condomless sex (aOR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.10-3.86). The study indicated that emerging of the HIV epidemic in young people might be driven by risk behaviors during online sex-seeking. Effective intervention programs need to target on different social network platforms.

Pemilihan Smartphone Berdasarkan Rekomendasi Profile User: Integrasi Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process dan Rule Based

The usability and usefulness of smartphones have been found to lack optimality. Moreover, the action of the customer appears to behave as a consumptive user instead of buying following the basic needs. In selecting the right smartphone, this study provides an alternative option for buyers. The Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) approach is applied by distinguishing between two distinct decision-making namely, Profile User as a user recommendation-based, and Smartphone-based selection. The suggested requirements are hobbies, areas of jobs, and the use of social network applications in determining the user profile. The weights of the criteria and alternatives for profile users are acquired through the dissemination of questionnaires to 117 respondents. In the meantime, parameters such as Random-Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), camera, processor, screen, and battery are added to the smartphone list of criteria upon on the interviews of 15 experts and practices in smartphone and Information Technology (IT). F-AHP rates each of the Smartphone and User Profiles as a first-round output. A rule-based expert system is employed to intertwine Smartphone and User Profiles decision-making viewpoints. The relationship between the Smartphone and the User Profile is therefore circumscribed as the final decision to applaud the acceptable Smartphone for those users of the profile. A prototype of the MatchSmartPhone application has been developed to computerize the F-AHP calculation. This application can be used to assist users according to the user's profile in delivering the best Smartphone device recommendations. Users would be wiser and smarter when shopping in advance.

E-Safety in the Use of Social Networking Application

E-Safety in the Use of Social Networking Application

Use of social networking applications by immigrant children, adolescents, and young adults to maintain contact with those who remained in the country of origin: usage characteristics and habits

Use of social networking applications by immigrant children, adolescents, and young adults to maintain contact with those who remained in the country of origin: usage characteristics and habits

Use of social networking applications (SNAs) by immigrant children, adolescents, and young adultsto maintain contact with those who remained in the country of origin: Usage characteristics and habits

In the present research, we examined the use and its influence of social networking applications on the process of young immigrants' acclimatisation in Israel, given the widespread use of such applications by children, adolescents, and young people to maintain contact with those who remained in their country of origin. This is a mixed-method study. A total of 551 participants from Israel completed questionnaires, of whom 110 were also interviewed. Interviewees were asked to clarify the quantitative findings to help gain in-depth understanding of the factors affecting acclimatisation. The semi-structured interviews covered all the topics included in the research questionnaires. The interviewees wanted to share positive and negative experiences they lived through, and some provided detailed descriptions. The study found that participants feel that communication alleviates the sense of longing, enables intimate discourse, sentiment sharing, release of anger, and relief of frustration. The use of web applications encourages significant interactions with those who remained in the country of origin, but to a certain extent causes social isolation in the new country.

Do social networking platforms promote service quality and purchase intention of customers of service-providing organizations?

Purpose Customers are interested in finding service recommendations, reviews and word of mouth using social networking platforms. These service reviews are useful for enhancing service quality, level of information and engagement, and purchase intention of customers. The purpose of this paper is to uncover which social networking platform is more useful for the exchange of service reviews and how organizations are improving purchase intention as well as service quality in the light of customer’s reviews/experiences. Design/methodology/approach The study is exploratory in nature because it aims to understand the use of social networking platforms for enhancing service quality and the purchase intention of customers using a purposive sampling technique. To meet the objective of this study, non-directive and semi-structured interviews have been conducted with customers and marketing teams in the banking sector and internet service providers. Findings The results show that social networking websites are helpful in fostering responsiveness, awareness, assurance, reliability and empathy. However, respondents revealed serious concerns regarding the privacy of personal and financial information especially in the context of the banking sector. It has been found that official Facebook pages of service-providing organizations, open and closed local community Facebook groups, sponsored ads and promotional advertisements on Facebook, WhatsApp groups and YouTube video comments are more frequently used to exchange service reviews (i.e. influence the process of purchase decision) among friends, friends of friends, family members and the general public. The selected customers and market team respondents revealed that local community Facebook groups (i.e. open groups and closed groups) have gained prime importance for enhancing service quality and purchase decisions. Practical implications The effective and well-organized use of social networking platforms can foster service reviews, word of mouth, level of service awareness, interactive communication, intention to purchase, social influence, social trust and services quality. Furthermore, online social networking platforms require a lower level of advertisement costs and offer huge amounts of information, discussions, enquires, service stories, word of mouth, transactions and interactions of consumers. Originality/value The present study is exploratory in nature because it selects an under-researched issue regarding the use of social networking applications to enhance levels of purchase intention and service quality. There is limited literature which has combined the multiple constructs in a single study (i.e. social media platforms, cross-platform platforms, service quality and purchase intention of consumers). Most of the previous studies are dependent on various dimensions of service quality (i.e. “reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empath and tangibles”). However, the present study extracted that respondents have given more preferences of services awareness and privacy compared to traditional elements of service quality.

Role of social networking platforms as tool for enhancing the service quality and purchase intention of customers in Islamic country

PurposeCustomers are increasingly focused to find reviews, discussions and feedbacks on social media related to particular services in which they are interested. This paper aims to find which social networking platforms are more frequently used to provide reviews related to services, and based on these reviews, how service providing organizations can enhance the level of service quality and purchase intention of customers.Design/methodology/approachThe research approach for this study is based on interpretivism assumptions and qualitative research design. The semi-structured and non-directive interviews were conducted to collect data from customers and marketing team of internet service provider and banking organization. These selected organizations have major shares in markets and a large number of customers. The participants were selected based on purposive sampling technique and their contribution in services-related discussion on social networking platforms.FindingsFindings of this research highlighted that social networking platforms such as official Facebook page of selected service providing organizations, closed public discussion groups on Facebook, WhatsApp groups of family and friends and YouTube videos comment section are more frequently used to create service reviews and purchase intention of customers. Above all, results also reveal that customers are more frequently used Facebook discussion groups (public or private) for generating services reviews for selected bank and internet service provider.Research limitations/implicationsThe effective and efficient use of these social networking platforms can enhance interactive communication, services reviews, feedbacks, intention to purchase, social influence, social trust and services quality. Furthermore, social media platforms required lower level of advertisement cost and offered huge amount of enquires, discussions, transactions, word of mouth, services stories and interactions of consumers.Originality/valueThere is rare research available on how and which social networking applications can enhance the level of service quality of services sector organizations especially in the context of Islamic countries. Most of the available literature has been investigated the link of social media and traditional marketing related constructs. This research is exploratory in nature because it investigates under-researched issue regarding the use of social networking applications to enhance the level of service quality and purchase intention of customers.

E-Safety in the Use of Social Networking Apps by Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

Aim/Purpose: Following the widespread use of social networking applications (SNAs) by children, adolescents, and young adults, this paper sought to examine the usage habits, sharing, and dangers involved from the perspective of the children, adolescents, and young adults. The research question was: What are the usage habits, sharing, drawbacks, and dangers of using SNAs from the perspective of children, adolescents, and young adults? Background: Safety has become a major issue and relates to a range of activities including online privacy, cyberbullying, exposure to violent content, exposure to content that foments exclusion and hatred, contact with strangers online, and coarse language. The present study examined the use of social networking applications (SNAs) by children, adolescents, and young adults, from their point of view. Methodology: This is a mixed-method study; 551participants from Israel completed questionnaires, and 110 respondents were also interviewed. Contribution: The study sought to examine from their point of view (a) characteristics of SNA usage; (b) the e-safety of SNA; (c) gender differences between age groups; (d) habits of use; (e) hazards and solutions; and (f) sharing with parents and parental control. Findings: Most respondents stated that cyberbullying (such as shaming) happens mainly between members of the group and it is not carried out by strangers. The study found that children’s awareness of the connection between failures of communication in the SNAs and quarrels and disputes was lower than that of adolescents and young adults. It was found that more children than adolescents and young adults believe that monitoring and external control can prevent the dangers inherent in SNAs, and that the awareness of personal responsibility increases with age. The SNAs have intensified the phenomenon of shaming, but the phenomenon is accurately documented in SNAs, unlike in face-to-face communication. Therefore, today more than ever, it is possible and necessary to deal with shaming, both in face-to-face and in SNA communication. Recommendations for Practitioners: Efforts should be made to resolve the issue of shaming among members of the group and to explain the importance of preserving human dignity and privacy. The Internet in general and SNAs in particular are an integral part of children’s and adolescents’ life environment, so it can be said that the SNAs are part of the problem because they augment shaming. But they can also be part of the solution, because interactions are accurately documented, unlike in face-to-face communication, where it is more difficult to examine events, to remember exactly what has been said, to point out cause and effect, etc. Therefore, more than ever before, today it is possible and necessary to deal with shaming both in face-to-face and in the SNA communication, because from the point of view of youngsters, this is their natural environment, which includes smart phones, SNAs, etc. Recommendations for Researchers: The study recommends incorporating in future studies individual case studies and allowing participants to express how they perceive complex e-Safety situa-tions in the use of social networking apps. Impact on Society: Today more than ever, it is possible and necessary to deal with shaming, both in face-to-face and in SNA communication. Future Research: The study was unable to find significant differences between age groups. Fur-ther research may shed light on the subject.

Privacy-protected statistics publication over social media user trajectory streams

An increasing amount of user location information is being generated due to the widespread use of social network applications and the ubiquitous adoption of mobile and wearable technologies. This data can be analysed to identify precise trajectories of individuals — where they went and when they were there. This is an obvious privacy issue, yet publication of real-time aggregate over such location streams can provide valuable resources for researchers and government agencies, e.g., in case of pandemics it would be very useful to identify who might have come into contact with an infected individual at a given time. Differential privacy techniques have become popular and widely adopted to address privacy concerns. However, there are three key issues that limit the application of existing differential privacy approaches to user trajectory data: (a) the heterogeneous nature of the trajectories, (b) uniform sliding window mechanisms do not meet individual privacy requirements and (c) limited privacy budgets and impact on data utility when applied to infinite data streams. To tackle these problems, this paper proposes a private real-time trajectory stream statistics publication mechanism utilizingdifferential privacy (DP-PSP). To relieve the heterogeneity issues, anchor point discovery (e.g., fixed locations like museums, parks, etc.) and road segmenting mechanisms are proposed. We provide an adaptive w-step sliding window approach that allows users to specify their own dynamic privacy budget distribution to optimize their own privacy budget. To preserve the data utility, we present multi-timestamp prediction models and private k-nearest neighbour selection and perturbation algorithms to reduce the amount of perturbation distortion induced through the differential privacy mechanism. Comprehensive experiments over real-life location-based social network user trajectories show that DP-PSP provides private data aggregate over infinite trajectory streams and boosts the utility and quality of the perturbed aggregation without compromising individual privacy.

A survey of K-12 teachers’ utilization of social networks as a professional resource

Teachers are increasingly using social networks, including social media and other Internet applications, to look for educational resources. This study shares results from a survey examining patterns of social network application use among K-12 teachers in the United States. A sample of 154 teachers (18 males, 136 females) in the United States answered questions about their use of social network applications, their comfort with Web 2.0, and their use of empirically-based resources from social networks. Results provide a user update on factors that predict overall engagement with social networks, which included comfort and trust in using social networks, as well as higher age. We also explored the most popular applications used by teachers and the most popular reasons for their use. Finally, we implemented a new survey methodology to gauge responses about empirically-based posts on social networks and discuss results in the context of balancing free resources with high-quality pedagogical information.

The use of social networking applications of smartphone and associated sexual risks in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations: a systematic review

ABSTRACTThe use of social networking applications (apps) on smartphones has the potential to impact sexual health and behaviour. This was the first systematic review to critically appraise and summarize the existing literature on the use of social networking apps on smartphones and their associated sexual health and sexual behaviour effects in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations. A systematic search was conducted in five databases (CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS and Sociological s), using controlled terms and keywords. Thirteen articles from 11 studies were included in this review. Studied outcomes included rates of unprotected sexual intercourse, the number of sexual partners, drug/alcohol use prior to/during sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) testing and the prevalence of STIs. Among app users, the prevalence of unprotected sex ranged from 17.0% to 66.7%. The mean number of sexual partners ranged from 1.4 to 2.9 (last 1-month period), and from 46.2 to 79.6 (lifetime). Two studies found that the prevalence of HIV infection was 1.9% and 11.4%, respectively. The self-reported prevalence of prior diagnosis of STIs other than HIV ranged from 9.1% to 51.0%. It should be noted that the heterogeneity of the study design and outcome measures across different studies hindered the comparison of findings across different studies. Furthermore, the findings in some studies are not reliable due to methodological problems. Our results highlight the need for more research with rigorous methodology to understand the negative impacts of using these apps on sexual health and sexual behaviour. For future studies, the operational definition of outcomes, including social networking app use and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI), should be clearly outlined. The use of validated tools to measure sexual behaviour and biological measures of HIV and other STDs is preferable so that outcomes can be standardized to facilitate comparisons between studies and the pooling of data.

Adaptive use of social networking applications in contemporary organizations: Examining the motivations of Gen Y cohorts

With the entry of the contemporary generation (Gen Y) into the workforce, organizations are interested in leveraging Gen Y’s technological preferences when designing their information systems. Specifically, motivated by Gen Y’s dependence on Social Networking Applications (SNAs) in their private lives, organizations have initiated the implementation of Corporate Social Networks (CSNs) to facilitate closer collaboration and knowledge sharing within organizations. However, these initiatives have not been received with the expected enthusiasm from Gen Y employees. To better understand this apparent anomaly, the current study explores the Gen Y cohort’s intended adaptive use of SNAs in organizational settings, as CSNs. This study uses an enriched Delphi technique to examine the perceptions and concerns of members of Gen Y regarding use of CSNs. In addition, employing a structured qualitative approach and contextualizing the needs hierarchy theory to the specific case of Gen Y employees, this study identifies six organizational requirements for successfully implementing CSNs. This work extends the literature on adaptive use of Enterprise 2.0 systems and delineates a set of useful implications for managers intending to implement such systems for Gen Y employees.

Use of social networking applications (apps) and meeting sites in patients with acute HIV infection in a specialized clinic in Mexico City

Use of social networking applications (apps) and meeting sites in patients with acute HIV infection in a specialized clinic in Mexico City

Forensic investigation of social networking applications

Social networking applications such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter provide facilities including email, blogging, instant messaging and photo sharing for social and commercial exchange.1 There has been a rapid growth in the use of social networking applications by both individuals and organisations.2, 3 And an increasing number of organisations use Facebook and Twitter as part of their marketing campaigns.4, 5 Social networking applications such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn may be involved in instances of misuse that can affect both organisations and individuals. Dr Mark Taylor, Dr John Haggerty, David Gresty, Peter Almond and Dr Tom Berry of Liverpool John Moores University, Nottingham Trent University and University of Greenwich examine the forensic process of obtaining digital evidence from social networking applications and the legal aspects involved in potential misuse.

Forensic analysis of social networking applications on mobile devices

The increased use of social networking applications on smartphones makes these devices a goldmine for forensic investigators. Potential evidence can be held on these devices and recovered with the right tools and examination methods. This paper focuses on conducting forensic analyses on three widely used social networking applications on smartphones: Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. The tests were conducted on three popular smartphones: BlackBerrys, iPhones, and Android phones. The tests consisted of installing the social networking applications on each device, conducting common user activities through each application, acquiring a forensically sound logical image of each device, and performing manual forensic analysis on each acquired logical image. The forensic analyses were aimed at determining whether activities conducted through these applications were stored on the device's internal memory. If so, the extent, significance, and location of the data that could be found and retrieved from the logical image of each device were determined. The results show that no traces could be recovered from BlackBerry devices. However, iPhones and Android phones store a significant amount of valuable data that could be recovered and used by forensic investigators.

Using social media to promote international student partnerships

This paper describes a project to establish and evaluate online study partnerships, using social networking applications, between final year Canadian nursing students at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and second year undergraduate science education students at the University of Plymouth (UoP) in the UK. The project took place between 2009 and 2010 and evaluated the use of social networking applications with international interdisciplinary partnerships between Canadian and UK students. A multi-method evaluation strategy incorporating questionnaires, online focus groups and web analytics was used to explore the value of social media to promote the exchange of ideas and discussion of scientific philosophy in different contexts, between students working in disciplines with differing philosophical perspectives principally modern/post-modern, quantitative/qualitative, empirical/theoretical. This project resulted in a very successful collaborative partnership between UK and Canadian students.