期刊名称：Journal of Information, Information Technology, and Organizations
印刷版ISSN：1557-1319
电子版ISSN：1557-1327
出版年度：2009
卷号：04
出版社：Informing Science Institute
摘要：This paper reports on a pilot study investigating the perceptions and use of Mobile Instant Messaging
(MIM) amongst the youth in South Africa. MIMs are enjoying a high adoption rate
amongst the youth in South Africa and MXit is by far the most popular MIM. However, the media,
parents and educators are overly concerned with the use of the system. The accusations
against MXit have included the allegations that it is time-wasting for the youth, it is a hunting
ground for paedophiles, and it leads to anti-social behaviours. It is interesting, however, that despite
the negative perceptions of the system, the youth are still using it, and presumably with their
parents’ blessings.
Data for the study was gathered through in-depth interviews with randomly selected youth who
use MXit, as well as with parents of children who use the system. The study has found that the
youth use the system mainly for social networking and that, to most users, the system is more
than just a communication tool - it is also part of their lives. The study has also unearthed the perceptions
of the users towards fellow users and towards non-users. In addition, it has been noted
that both the users and parents of users are employing self-justification strategies to deal with the
cognitive dissonance arising from the negative discourse on MXit and their continued use or support
of the system. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of how the youth
use new media. The findings could be useful for those who may want to use new media for educating
the youth and for marketing purposes.
关键词：Mobile Instant Messaging; MXit; Self justification; South Africa; Youth
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