Social Media in PNG
Social Media as a means of connection is on the rise in secondary schools in Papua New Guinea, says Don Bosco Technical Schools director Fr Ambrose Pereira.
He added that the ‘digital natives’ who belong to the ‘Net Generation’ are fully immersed in this powerful tool of communication.
“Born into a world of digital media, our students are unable to imagine a world devoid of social connections and networking. Social media is making inroads into all fields and education is no exception.
Our students are able to research, complete assignments, request peer help and gain deeper insights into what they have been taught in class,” said Fr Ambrose.
However, this latest wave into the world of social media is not without is limits and dangers. Innocent and inexperienced they are gradually lured into sites that are harmful and dangerous.
They are invited to open up pages that are morally and spiritually destructive. While some parents are able to control and monitor the use of the digital media the majority are unable to guide their offspring in the right use of social media.
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SOCIAL Media networking accounts, by far, is a major activity for Papua New Guineans that use the internet.
According to a recent study conducted by Digicel PNG through its marketing arm, Trend Media, 79 per cent of all internet users in a study group of 1000, where 60 per cent (600 of the sample) had access to the internet, their internet access evolved purely to the use social networks.
Advertising Manager for Trend Media, Michael Solomon, explained the interesting findings that the study revealed when conducted this year.
“Digicel did a study called the, PNG Household Sentiment and Lifestyle study 2017. A couple of the questions we asked people is how do you access the internet and you can see that 50percent access the internet via mobile phone, 17per cent from at home, seven per cent from work and a massive 40 per cent of people aren’t even on the internet.”
“So it is a massive untapped base of people who are going to shift over to the internet in the next few years and are going to use data, are going to watch videos, start to go on social media.”
“The most surprising stat is what they ask people. Well what do you do on the internet? And 79percent are using the internet for social networking, 67 percent do general surfing.”
“62 percent are downloading music and watching tv programs, online shopping only 11 percent with lots of room to grow.”
He said with more people already spending a lot of time on the internet the study revealed that during the average week its 5.6 hours spent on the web and 6.3 hours on the weekend, the time being driven by the consumption of social networking sites like Facebook and the free browsing option offered by the mobile provider.
“This is probably going to increase as mobile phones increase penetration and data usage increase in the country.”
“You look at Facebook in this country, I arrived in January in PNG, Facebook has got 640,000 and now at 740,000 users as of the 1st of May in Papua New Guinea.”
Mr Soloman added that another interesting stat the study revealed is that there are now more Facebook users in this country then there are Google, which he described as not being normal in many countries.
He added that the ‘digital natives’ who belong to the ‘Net Generation’ are fully immersed in this powerful tool of communication.
“Born into a world of digital media, our students are unable to imagine a world devoid of social connections and networking. Social media is making inroads into all fields and education is no exception.
Our students are able to research, complete assignments, request peer help and gain deeper insights into what they have been taught in class,” said Fr Ambrose.
However, this latest wave into the world of social media is not without is limits and dangers. Innocent and inexperienced they are gradually lured into sites that are harmful and dangerous.
They are invited to open up pages that are morally and spiritually destructive. While some parents are able to control and monitor the use of the digital media the majority are unable to guide their offspring in the right use of social media.
******************************
SOCIAL Media networking accounts, by far, is a major activity for Papua New Guineans that use the internet.
According to a recent study conducted by Digicel PNG through its marketing arm, Trend Media, 79 per cent of all internet users in a study group of 1000, where 60 per cent (600 of the sample) had access to the internet, their internet access evolved purely to the use social networks.
Advertising Manager for Trend Media, Michael Solomon, explained the interesting findings that the study revealed when conducted this year.
“Digicel did a study called the, PNG Household Sentiment and Lifestyle study 2017. A couple of the questions we asked people is how do you access the internet and you can see that 50percent access the internet via mobile phone, 17per cent from at home, seven per cent from work and a massive 40 per cent of people aren’t even on the internet.”
“So it is a massive untapped base of people who are going to shift over to the internet in the next few years and are going to use data, are going to watch videos, start to go on social media.”
“The most surprising stat is what they ask people. Well what do you do on the internet? And 79percent are using the internet for social networking, 67 percent do general surfing.”
“62 percent are downloading music and watching tv programs, online shopping only 11 percent with lots of room to grow.”
He said with more people already spending a lot of time on the internet the study revealed that during the average week its 5.6 hours spent on the web and 6.3 hours on the weekend, the time being driven by the consumption of social networking sites like Facebook and the free browsing option offered by the mobile provider.
“This is probably going to increase as mobile phones increase penetration and data usage increase in the country.”
“You look at Facebook in this country, I arrived in January in PNG, Facebook has got 640,000 and now at 740,000 users as of the 1st of May in Papua New Guinea.”
Mr Soloman added that another interesting stat the study revealed is that there are now more Facebook users in this country then there are Google, which he described as not being normal in many countries.
