THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT ISSUES: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY ON MARA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (UiTM) STUDENTS

Abstract

In today's digital age, the seriousness and accuracy of information disseminated through social media are often disputed, and different attitudes and views regarding the use of social media as a source of information are common phenomena found among various layers of society. Thus, this study investigates UiTM students' views and attitudes toward using social media to understand and disseminate information about current issues. This study employs a census sampling methodology involving all 165,594 UiTM students across thirty-four UiTM campuses nationwide, with the cooperation of campus administration. Although every student was allowed to participate, only 5,586 respondents participated in our survey. Data was collected and analyzed using IBM SPSS 27 Statistical Software by evaluating the frequency and percentage of information obtained. The study's findings reveal the complexity in students' views on using the Internet and social media as the primary source of information about current issues. While most respondents acknowledge the important role of social media, some express doubts about the validity and reliability of information from these platforms. Additionally, engagement in reading news portals and following political leaders on social media also reflects the variation in attitudes among students. The implications of this study emphasise the need to improve media literacy among students, including the ability to assess the reliability of information sources and awareness of the risk of false information on social media. With a deeper understanding of the role of social media in shaping thoughts and actions, UiTM students are expected to better navigate the challenges related to the influence of social media in understanding current issues more effectively and efficiently.