Wednesday, 7 August 2013

Focus Group Discussion on social media.



I recently hosted a group discussion about how social media influences us on our daily lives. The group was full of diverse interesting people from the Nemisa campus. I had to observe the usage of internet in the campus by sourcing data from the IT department. The sample of my respondent that I recruited was ranging from the top internet user at the campus to the least internet user.
The discussion questionnaire for the discussion was design to cover all of the elements that I need to address on my research paper. The discussion was based on my situation analysis about the possible dangers that one can encounter on social network platforms. The situation analysis will help the campaign to reaches it goal in terms of the outcomes that will be reached through the research gathered.
 One of the survey respondents the top internet user at the campus, he mention that he always on Facebook the whole day. He login to his account when the day starts until at night when he goes to bed. What surprises me enough is that when I asked the question “who thinks is addicted to social networks”. He mentions that his not addicted, to me that was obvious signs of addiction. Many studies have shown the internet is addictive. One by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan demonstrated brain changes in heavy web users similar to those hooked on drugs or alcohol. Other studies have shown changes in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision making and self-control. One psychiatrist has even identified a condition he calls Face-book addiction disorder. Symptoms include: letting Facebook interfere with your sleep or work, spending more than one hour a day on the site and being filled with fear or panic at the thought of deleting your account.
These are discoveries that are interesting while I am still engaging with online communities. There number of challenges that were discussed during the group which online communities still face. Challenges like addiction, procrastination, online scamps, and cyber bulling. This has proved that we do suffer from these effects, hence we not even aware that they affect us.
Do you disclose about your addiction? 

Source Material

3 comments:

  1. The student who said he is not addicted to internet, it would be interesting to find out what he defined as addicted" and in those symptoms included in the "facebook addiction disorder" does he show the symptoms, does not bein on facebook make him sad or what? Waiting to hear the other discoveries

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  2. Does this top user have a social life outside of Facebook? Friends? Hobbies? Other interests? If his interests revolve around social media then he is most definitely addicted. What can you find out Siya to add to the situation analysis

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  3. This dude who spends most of his day on Facebook is most definitely addicted. How can he think its normal to be on a social network from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed? Personally I know my addiction and I have disclosed it, to myself.

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