This study analyzed the internet and social media usage of over 2,200 Italian university students in 2008 and 2009. It found that 70% of students used the internet for at least 1 hour per day, with Facebook being the most popular site. Qualitative interviews revealed that students used Facebook primarily to stay connected with friends but had concerns about privacy and superficial content. While social media influenced communication habits, students' core media consumption was likely unchanged. The study provides insight primarily for Italian cultural context where campus life is less common.

1. influence on
university students'
media habits
qualitative results from a field research

2. It is everywhere!

3. A research about...
Internet usage among undegraduate
students
Facebook impact on media habits
Meanings associated with online
activity

4. This study is a spin-off
of a quantitative research
involving 2200+
students
(1088 in 2008, 1123 in 2009)

5. Connected!
beginner
at least 1h/day
basic level users
Less than 1h/day
experts
30% 21% 14%
70%
65%
(Self evaluation)

6. And the old media?
watch TV at least 1h/day
watch TV less than 1h/day
47% 34%
53%
66%
2008 2009

7. take 100 people...
27 of them uploaded
videos on Youtube

8. take 100 people...
12 of them wrote
at least once
on Wikipedia
(while 51.6% consults it “very often”)

9. take 100 people...
3.6 uploaded
photos
to Flickr

10. take 100 people...
only
used
1.7
Slideshare for
sharing their
presentations

11. ’t
on know about...
They d en
100,00
ev
77,30 77,30 81,50 82,30
75,00 70,20 72,80
50,00
25,00
0

12. And bloggers are
diminishing...
2008 2009
42,2% 35,7%
57,8% 64,3%

13. ?
But where
are all the
connected
people
And what do they do there?

14. Short answer:
They are on

15. Remember
we are talking of Italian students,
which means:
no campuses
no official fraternities, leagues, clubs
no yearbooks

16. Slightly longer answer:
59,4
60 50,4
45
30 26,0 23,0
15 8,2 10,2 7,9
2,2
0
w FB
use it s FB s FB
kno use se
sn’t sn’t nu
doe doe seldom of te
s FB,
k now 2008 2009

17. Longer answer
30 interviews to
undergraduates
showed us
their media habits +
the role of Facebook in
their lives

18. In questionnaires they decleared
they went online mainly for...
checking university-related contents
communicating with friends
consuming audio-visual material

19. 0,08
0,06
Some
0,05
analysis...
0,03
0,02
0
fb_dislike fb_like internet_dislike internet_like

20. 0,08
Fa
0,06
Some ce
bo
o ku
se
rela
0,05
analysis... tion
ship
s
awaren
ess
0,03
0,02
0
fb_dislike fb_like internet_dislike internet_like

21. 0,08
0,06
Some
0,05
analysis... privac
y
0,03
bloggi
ng
0,02
a
0 e di
m
d
fb_dislike fb_like internet_dislike ol
internet_like

22. 0,08
relatio
nship
0,06
Some s
0,05
analysis...
social
inclusi
on
0,03
0,02
0
fb_dislike fb_like internet_dislike internet_like

23. 0,08
0,06
Some
int
0,05
analysis... ern
et
us
ag
e
sh
ari
0,03 ng
bloggi
ng
0,02
tv
0
fb_dislike fb_like internet_dislike internet_like

24. It is useless,
but I am using it!
PROs and CONs of
Facebook

25. it helps PROs:
staying in touch
with people!
ea sy
It's heap!
nd it 's c
a

26. It is all about
C ONs: exhibitionism
and curiosity
It is a place
for superficial
relationships

27. There’s content
C ONs: that doesn't
matter, but
entertains
My privacy
is at risk!

28. vs. mobile
phones
Perceived as cheaper
Handy and trendy
Allows real interaction

29. Frivolous content
is the norm
It is seen as a
sort of strategy
to protect privacy

30. Frivolous content
is the norm
It is seen as a
sort of strategy
to protect privacy

31. Conclusions...
The use of Facebook is mainly
instrumental
rche strate
used to “o nging
-to-fa c e ha
face , 2010)
” (Ito et al.
out

32. Conclusions...
Students tend to deprecate it, mostly for
contents and privacy issues
but web 2.0 should mean
sharing, above all - are our
students being too serious?

33. Conclusions...
Media platforms have switched
students appear to be
very savvy in finding the
entertainment they want...

34. Conclusions...
Digital skills are not so common
many of the interviewees
saw themselves as digital
immigrants!

35. So what?
didn’t
probably
change the
habits
in terms of sharing and
prosuming contents

36. it most likely
changed
interpersonal
communications
quantitatively

37. redefining
other media
or formats
uses
(Remember: this is an Italian point of view)

38. Thank you.
Andrea Mangiatordi
andrea.mangiatordi@unimib.it
@andreamangia
for the
group
http://numediabios.eu