The Usage and Online Behavior of Social Networking Sites among International Students in New Zealand

Abstract

This study examines SNS use by international students located in Auckland, New Zealand. The frequency of SNS usage and behaviour of international students, who are away from their home countries, is different from the general youth of the host country. The study used a questionnaire that revealed the most popular SNS were Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MySpace, and Linkedin. The new addition to this commonly cited list is QQ, a Chinese SNS, which is extremely popular among students from China. The results also show support for reasons for SNS usage namely personal, entertainment, commercial, and academic. Unlike in other studies, female students are found to be quite proactive in sharing personal information. Finally, the study discusses implications of these results for managers and students, and offers a set of recommendations for further research.