Use of Social Media by Students in Denmark

Abstract: The use of social media and its accessibility through smartphones is becoming a more and more researched topic in the field of ICT. In relation to this, the current study attempts to shed light on the general use of social media, Facebook in particular, by youth in Danish context and pays attention to how the accessibility to this media through smartphones affects the interaction between individuals when being together. The research finishes with three conceptual models which goal is to provide future design implications of the studied ICTs in a way that closer meets the user needs and requirements. The models are – one related to Facebook, one general application, and one related to supporting many-to-many communication. The study is of interpretative nature, based on qualitative research approach with a main method for data collection being qualitative semi-structured interviews. There were 8 interviews performed – 3 with students at a secondary school in Odense, Denmark, and the rest with students at the university in the same town. In this way an understanding of the use patterns and issues experienced by the different age groups was attempted. Furthermore, the study contributes with findings to certain discrepancies identified in the current literature, such as the need for context-aware devices, type of friends on Facebook and others. Finally, due to the limited source for data collection, the thesis does not claim for generalizability, but it should be viewed as a small contribution to the studies related to Facebook, particularly applicable within a Danish context.