Adoption of Facebook as a Communication Tool amongst University Millennials in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the critical significance of Facebook as a communication tool in promoting social consciousness amongst South African millennials at various Higher Education institutions in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was exploratory and quantitative, with 400 undergraduate students identified using a purposive sampling technique. There were 150 students from the Durban University of Technology, 125 from the Mangosuthu University of Technology, and 125 from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The data were analysed using the most recent version of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) application. According to the findings, most millennials spend at least two hours, and up to considerably more than six hours, on social media every day. Furthermore, most participants believed that this forum allows them to express themselves whilst also exchanging information on academic concerns such as ongoing strikes and fee increases. The participants all agreed that accessing this social media platform was effortless for them, thus they perceived it as an effective awareness tool. Furthermore, the interviewees stated that Facebook is an excellent platform because it facilitates texting, voice recordings, and video uploads. As a result, it is suggested that universities use Facebook to raise awareness and communicate with key stakeholders.

Keywords

• Facebook
• promotions
• South African millennials
• social media