Social Networking Sites’ Usage Trends and Adoption Among University Students: A Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Social network sites (SNSs) are penetrating deep among the lives of internet users owing to its social compatibility with modern online needs in the shape of constructing profile by providing their bio-data and hanging out with old and new friends in order to share and gain information. This study aims to investigate the usage pattern of SNSs and the adoptability of the users. A descriptive analysis was run on the random sample of 200 respondents surveyed in a large public sector university of Sindh, Pakistan. Results revealed that users feel proud by using SNSs and routinely log-on to their account at least once a day so as to know what is new on their wall from their around-the-hundred-contacts’ activities. They felt as a part of larger SNSs community where they could find new friends, thus bridging social capital was prominent as majority of the respondents did not know their Facebook friends personally.

Keywords: Social network sites, usage trends, university students, Facebook, bridging social capital.