PATTERN OF INTERNET USE AMONG YOUTHS IN SELECTED RURAL COMMUNITIES OF YEWA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51406/jhssca.v11i1.1702Keywords:
Pattern, Internet Use, Youths, Rural Communities, NigeriaAbstract
Youths living in rural communities have limited access to internet resources. Majority who have access to it have used it for limited purposes. The study investigated pattern of internet use among youths in the study area. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 245 youths for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result showed more males used internet more than female (i.e 73.5% and 26.5%) respectively. Many of them (86.4%) were within ages 18-22, above average were Christians (69.4%) while the remaining were Muslims respectively. Their variations in their use of mobile platforms and applications are as follows: 82.9% used 2go, 42.4% used facebook, 54.3% used SMS, while 8.2% used it for online transactions like purchase of products. Ranking their frequent usage, 2go ranked highest followed by SMS among others. It was found there existed a significant association between respondents’ age and pattern of internet use. It was established that youths in the communities used the internet for various purposes ranging from social to economic and religious purposes.
References
Burell, J. (2008). Livelihoods and the Mobile phone in Rural Uganda Grameen Foundation, USA. Retrieved from http://www.grameenfoundation .applab.org/section/ethnographic research.
Facebook Statistics (2012). Social Times-Social Media Statistics and Facts 2012.
Goodman, J. (2007). Linking Mobile Phone ownership and use to Social Capital in Rural South Africa and Tanzania: Moving the Debate Forward. The Vodafone Policy Paper Series, No 3. Vodafone Research.
Harande, Y. I. (2009). Information Services for Rural Community Development in Nigeria. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Paper 271. Available online at http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/271
Hudson, H. (2006). From Rural Village to Global Village: Telecommunications for Development in the Information Age. C. T: Lawrence Erlbaum, Danbury.
Laittosprojects (2013). Impact of Facebook and 2go as an Effective Interpersonal Media of Communication. New Mass Communication Project. Osun State.
Mckenna, K. Y. A., & Bargh, J. A. (1999). Causes and Consequences of Social Interaction on the Internet: A Conceptual Framework. Media psychology, 1, 249-269.
Momodu, M. O. (2002). Information needs and information seeking behaviour of rural dwellers in Nigeria: a case study of Ekpoma in Esan West local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. Library Review, 51 (8), 406 - 410.
Moore, D.W. (2000. February 23). American say Internet makes their lives better (On-line), Gallup News Service. Available at http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr000223.asp
O’Keeffe, L. (2011). The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. Journal of American academy of Pediatrics, 127 (4), 800-804.
Robson, S. and Fumoto, H. (2009). Practitioners’ Experiences of Personal Ownership and Autonomy in their Support for Young Children’s Thinking. Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood, 10 (1), 43-54.
